Re: Un-erasable folder

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

Whoops...

> Since the folder/file name has a space character within it, you'll need to
> enclose the entire filename (including the path if you are not in its
> parent directory).

Enclose IN QUOTES, of course. ;^}
"Y:\My Music\Supertramp\Even in the Quietest Moments.."

As you may know, "DOS" often uses . and .. to refer to the current directory
and its parent. If you are in your Supertramp directory, then . means
Supertramp and .. means "My Music"; cd .. moves the focus up to the parent
directory. In some versions of DOS, ... would mean Y:\, but other versions,
including WinXP's cmd.exe, don't allow more than two periods. Also, of
course, the period is used as a separator between the filename and the
extension, so the use of one or more periods in a filename can get very
confusing! Especially if the dots are at the end. Was your original 3-dot
filename actually a no-dot name with a 2-dot extension? Or a one-dot name
and a one-dot extension? ???

(When I try to md "test folder..." on my computer I get a new folder named
"test folder", without the dots. Then, of course, rd "test folder" removes
it. That doesn't help you, but I learned something by trying it. But I
can't create a 3-dot foldername to see if I can remove it.)

Some other commands do accept wildcards, so you may be able to:
ren "Even*.*" Even

or maybe:
ren "Even*.*.*" Even (to take care of what might be interpreted as multiple
extensions - experiment to see if you can find a combination that works)

and then:
rd Even

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Microsoft Windows MVP

"R. C. White" <rc@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:O$nvXCZrFHA.904@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi, gcorvera.
>
> Rather than del, use rd (or rmdir, both mean Remove Directory). And add
> the /s switch to remove the entire directory tree, including all files and
> subdirectories in it. Like the former deltree command.
>
> Since the folder/file name has a space character within it, you'll need to
> enclose the entire filename (including the path if you are not in its
> parent directory). Or first use the dir command with the /x switch to see
> the SFN (Short File Name, also known as the 8.3 filename), then rd <SFN>.
> The rd command won't let us use wildcards but insists that we type the
> entire folder name, so the second method may be easier.
>
> In the "DOS" window, of course, you can type /? after any command to see a
> mini-help file showing the switches and parameters available with that
> command: dir /?
>
> RC
>
> "gcorvera" <gcorvera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:7EB4E3C0-4C78-4AB4-B5C5-7CDBB5B69CD5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>I was ripping mp3 files from an audio CD using MusicMatch Jukebox. I have
>> Jukebox set up so it creates subdirectories directories named as the
>> album,
>> so it should have created a folder named "Even in the Quietest
>> Moments...";
>> instead it created one missing a period, thus: "Even in the Quietest
>> Moments.."
>>
>> The problem is that although MusicMatch does find the files, the folder
>> appears empty to Windows Explorer. If I try to rename or delete it I
>> receive
>> an error message: "Cannot rename/delete file: Cannot read from the source
>> file or disk", if I click on the folder I get an error message ".. refers
>> to
>> a location that is unavailable. etc", and what is REALLY interesting is
>> using
>> the command prompt (cmd.exe), I got the following:
>> Y:\My Music\Supertramp>del "Even in the Quietest Moments.."
>> Y:\My Music\Supertramp\Even in the Quietest Moments.\*, Are you sure
>> (Y/N)?
>>
>> I answered 'y' and it deleted the files, but I still can't delete the
>> directory. I also tried deleting it through the Jukebox interface, and it
>> doesn't do it.
>>
>> I tried chkdsk (through the "tools" tab on My computer/properties" and it
>> didn't find anything wrong.
>>
>> The result on cmd.exe made me realize it had something to do with the
>> periods at the end of the file name, so I removed them and it worked
>> fine,
>> but I still have the "Even in the Quietest Moments.." directory that I
>> can't
>> delete on my system.
>> Does anybody know of a way to delete it?
>>
>> Thanks


.

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