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Strange Folder Behaviour - Cannot Delete File
Hi all
One of my colleagues seems to have caused issues in deleting large numbers of files. The problem could also be caused by the length of the files names. He has tried to delete a folder structure (about 10 folders deep) but something has been "left behind". At the bottom of the folder structure are three folders at the same level IYSWIM. If I attempt to select any of these in explorer, the focus jumps back to Start Menu. If I try to delete a higher level folder, I get the reply Cannot Delete File 674DF~1, although there is no sign of a file with this name despite a search of the folder structure. Anyone shed light on this please? Dell Latitude D620 running WinXP Pro TIA Phil |
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Strange Folder Behaviour - Cannot Delete File
Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:59:35 -0000 from TheScullster
: One of my colleagues seems to have caused issues in deleting large numbers of files. The problem could also be caused by the length of the files names. He has tried to delete a folder structure (about 10 folders deep) but something has been "left behind". At the bottom of the folder structure are three folders at the same level IYSWIM. If I attempt to select any of these in explorer, the focus jumps back to Start Menu. If I try to delete a higher level folder, I get the reply Cannot Delete File 674DF~1, although there is no sign of a file with this name despite a search of the folder structure. Anyone shed light on this please? I had a similar problem a few months back. I remember which two things I tried, but I don't remember which one worked: (a) In the command prompt, use the subst command: SUBST X: C:\............ Use any available drive letter in place of X, and for the second argument use the top few levels of the path. The new drive X: (or whatever) will appear in My Computer, and you may be able to navigate in X: and delete the unwanted files and folders. When finished, go back in command prompt and SUBST X: /d again using the selected drive letter. (b) XP does have an absolute limit on path length of a referenced file. If (a) didn't work, start at the top unwanted level and change the folder name to a single letter, then delete the tree. If that doesn't work, go down a level and change folder names to single letters and delete them. By the way, 674DF~1 probably is the short name of a file with a long name. (Are you sure you typed the name correctly? Usually short names are six characters followed by ~1.) Look for something that starts with the part before the ~. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ "If there's one thing I know, it's men. I ought to: it's been my life work." -- Marie Dressler, in /Dinner at Eight/ |
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Strange Folder Behaviour - Cannot Delete File
"Stan Brown" wrote (b) XP does have an absolute limit on path length of a referenced file. If (a) didn't work, start at the top unwanted level and change the folder name to a single letter, then delete the tree. If that doesn't work, go down a level and change folder names to single letters and delete them. Thanks Stan It was the finite file-folder length that caused the issue Phil |
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Strange Folder Behaviour - Cannot Delete File
Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:26:11 -0000 from TheScullster
: "Stan Brown" wrote (b) XP does have an absolute limit on path length of a referenced file. If (a) didn't work, start at the top unwanted level and change the folder name to a single letter, then delete the tree. If that doesn't work, go down a level and change folder names to single letters and delete them. Thanks Stan It was the finite file-folder length that caused the issue Great! Thanks for letting us know. -- Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA http://OakRoadSystems.com/ "If there's one thing I know, it's men. I ought to: it's been my life work." -- Marie Dressler, in /Dinner at Eight/ |
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