Cannot delete files.

[Hal]

Running fully-updated Windows XP-sp1; FAT32.

System has suddenly started disallowing file deletion.

Error message: Cannot delete [filename]: the directory or
file cannot be created.

Can't imagine what it's talking about or how to remedy the
situation. Can't find anything in the Knowledge Base (up
to 100 articles).

[Thorsten Matzner]

"Hal" > wrote:

>System has suddenly started disallowing file deletion.
>Error message: Cannot delete [filename]: the directory or
>file cannot be created.

Does this happen only when you delete the file to the Recycle Bin?
Press SHIFT to skip this and delete the file directly. If this works,
the Recycle Bin may be corrupt and the cause of the problem. In this
case you should boot to the Recovery Console and use the DEL command
to empty all the RECYCLED folers on all drives. Then use RD to remove
the RECYCLED folders and restart the PC afterwards.
"Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314058)
"How to Access the Recovery Console During Startup"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307654)

--
(tm)

[Hal]

>-----Original Message-----
>"Hal" > wrote:
>
>>System has suddenly started disallowing file deletion.
>>Error message: Cannot delete [filename]: the directory
or
>>file cannot be created.
>
>Does this happen only when you delete the file to the
Recycle Bin?
>Press SHIFT to skip this and delete the file directly. If
this works,
>the Recycle Bin may be corrupt and the cause of the
problem. In this
>case you should boot to the Recovery Console and use the
DEL command
>to empty all the RECYCLED folers on all drives. Then use
RD to remove
>the RECYCLED folders and restart the PC afterwards.
>"Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console"
>(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314058)
>"How to Access the Recovery Console During Startup"
>(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=307654)
>
>--
>(tm)
>.
>
Thanks for your reply, Thornsten.

The Shift-Delete didn't work. Have noted doc numbers you
provided re Recovery Console.

In searching through some slightly related matters, I came
across the suggestion of doing Error Checking on the drive
(Control Panel > Local Disk > Properties > Tools. This
did the trick - temporarily.

When I turned on again later, the problem was back. This
time I did Norton System Works > Norton Utilities > Find
and Fix Problems > Norton Disk Doctor > Diagnose-and fix
errors. This required a restart, and appeared to use the
same Windows disk checking. Again, problem fixed, but I'm
not optimistic that this will stick after I shut down or
restart.

[Monty Rodgers]

I have run into this before and turning off the Virus Protection
software then doing the delete worked. It doesn't seem to be all
files just a selected few that becomes the troubled ones. Don't
forget the turn the Virus Protection back on again. HTH

On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 03:02:48 -0700, "Hal" >
wrote:

>Running fully-updated Windows XP-sp1; FAT32.
>
>System has suddenly started disallowing file deletion.
>
>Error message: Cannot delete [filename]: the directory or
>file cannot be created.
>
>Can't imagine what it's talking about or how to remedy the
>situation. Can't find anything in the Knowledge Base (up
>to 100 articles).

Monty D. Rodgers N7CIX
Phoenix, AZ 85053

http://members.cox.net/montyd