error deleting file

I have created a folder and now I want to delete it (the folder is empty) and I have never put anything in it, but I am getting an error window saying "Cannot delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk ". I have searched other threads and found one saying to use MoveOn Boot I tried it but with no success, I also tried in safe mode, can anyone help please

 

Perhaps........
1]> open a command shell by going to Start> Run, and entering cmd
Then enter:
rd /s foldername You may need to type the full path.
I believe you can't use a "del" command to delete a folder in XP, the command is not supported. Del is for a file deletion, so if windows isn't sure whether this is a file or a folder, you can try the above (RD=remove directory). NOTE*You may have to use the attrib command to remove any hidden attribute, if this folder has one. Heck go for the whole atrib enchilada ATTRIB -H -R -S filename before the deletion.

OR

2]You Cannot Delete a File or a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320081

OR

3]Open command prompt and through taskmanager kill explorer then delete and restart explorer (this sounds more difficult then it is, or this is easy to do )
http://www.theeldergeek.com/delete_undeletable_file.htm

NOTE*additional sublinks that may be needed if using suggestion #2 provided above^^^
HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421&sd=tech

HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418

 

I cannot see why it is so difficult to delete , the file is definitly empty because I created it to download a setup of a program from the internet then I canged my mind so I tried to delete it, things you do a thousand times daily. I tried as you suggested by the command prompt when I type DIR I get it listed when i do rd /s filename first I am asked to confirm when I type y and then press enter I get the system cannot find the file specified. It is not a big problem having an empty file on a harddrive but why can't I delete it?

 

Did you end the Explorer process in the task manager before you tried to delete it? How about system restore? If the folder's on your desktop, more than likely that would get rid of it. Where is the folder located? Have you tried the links that Ann posted?

 

Yes yes I did end Explorer process but still with no sucess, believe it or not this is how I managed to delete it: I just copied a word document file in this folder and deleted the folder with the file in it normally I'm happy I did it but still I don't know why Thank you still for all your prompt help, best wishes,


mario

 

Thanks for posting back with your solution. I've run into this once before on someone elses computer and the command line route worked for me. If I ever come across it again, I'll have to give your solution a try. You've got me wondering now.

 

I rebooted the computer and ther it was again, but this time I am not letting it bother me anymore I am sure going to to live with this extra file. Just to inform anyone that the my solution didn't last long

 

I wonder if this is one of those weird bugs that can occur when you start an install process but cancel part way through. The folder, as explained in one of the previous links I supplied, may still be opened by another process such as one of those used by the "install process ". Hmmm, this may even go deeper such as you on your user account may want it gone but it is still somehow left because the other users such as default and admin, plus any other account you may have, is still tied to it somehow. Did you try these actually logging in as administrator not just yourself with admin rights? Is this fat32 or ntfs? If fat32 you could use a win98 bootdisk and delete this from the dospromt.

I wonder what would happen if you tried installing the application, you previously mentioned that you stopped, allowing it to complete then uninstall it and try deleting the folder. Or perhaps going back to a restore point before the attempted install????

Out of curiousity, what's the name of the folder? (full path)

==========
This may be far fetched but I'm now trying to find "needle in haystacks" solutions!!
Could this possibly be???????? see below\/
To delete a hidden administrative share for the current session only, follow these steps:
In Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
Expand Shared Folders, and then click Shares.
In the Shared Folder column, right-click the share that you want to delete, click Stop sharing, and then click OK.

 

Have had this happen a few times, the following has worked for me;

If you started to download a file into the folder and then canceled it, open Windows Explorer and empty the temp files located at;

C:\Documents and Settings\Your User Name\Local Settings\Temp

and

C:\Windows\Temp

Then navigate back to the folder that doesn't want to delete, right click on it and select Properties from the pop-up menu. Remove any check-marks from Read-Only or Hidden and click on Apply and OK.

Then right click on the folder again and click Delete.

If the folder still won't delete, reboot the system, right click on the folder again, remove any check-marks from Read-Only or Hidden, click Apply and OK. And try to delete again.

For some reason, that I've yet to understand, the above procedure at times requires a reboot to work.

Hope this helps.

 

I was sort of thinking along the same line as Rod but I'd also try deleting your temporary internet files. I have no idea if it will help or not but if you started a download the TIF's could possibly be a factor.

 

I tried deleting temp. files but still could not delete this file which is in D:\my downloads\officenote trial. Something that I noticed is that while when I see properties of this file I get only two tabs, (General, Customize) on the others I get 4 tabs (General, Sharing, Security, Customize). This problem file has no attributes marked and even when I tried to mark hidden and pressed apply it bacame unmarked again, and another thing when I copy a file in it, the folder dublicates itself ( you ge 2 folders with the same name) one remains empty while the other one with the file in it. The one with the file can be normally deleted, that's why I thought I solved the problem earlier, while the other still gives the same error i.e. Cannot delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk.

 

Sorry none of the solutions offered so far have resolved your problem. A solution similar to one of the links Ann posted on September 6 can be found at the following link. This page also contains a link to a freeware program that will allow you to find out what processes a file is using;

Deleting "undeletable" files

Process Explorer

After reviewing your original post again I have a few more questions. In your 2nd post you said;

Did you start to download into the folder and then cancel the download, or did you create the folder and then prior to beginning the download decide to delete it?

If you started the download and then stopped it were there any files in the folder before you tried to delete it?

Are you using any type of Download Manager program?

 

I never started to download anything in this folder. I explain exectly what I am doing maybe I am doing it wrong. 1st I open the command prompt window then open task manager and end explorer process, at the command prompt I type D: because my folder is in the D partition then I type cd my downloads because this folder is in my download directory then type rd office onenote trial (the name of this undeletable folder) and I get "the system cannot find the specified file" but if I type dir I can find the date time <DIR> office onenote trial in the list. I don't know how the process explorer can help me since this folder is not involved in any processes.