Re: Cannot delete file with name ended with a dot.
- From: "Ace Fekay [Microsoft Certified Trainer]" <aceman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 11:34:43 -0400
"rmari" <rmari@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7D8E6678-EDE2-4A61-BFB6-2D9D691274C7@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello,
when trying to delete from File Explorer a file I receive the message
"Could
not find this item", also cannot delete from command prompt when try I
receive the message "File Not Found" (from command prompt I cannot see the
file when I type the command "dir", I can see it if after the command dir
I
type the initial of the file's name and press the key "tab").
The operating system is Windows 2008 server standard x64.
Thank You,
Best Regards
Roberta
Roberta,
I posted earlier, but it didn't show up. Possibly didn't post because of
references I have in my post. I am reposting it without the references.
----
Roberta,
Please read my following blog on this:
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To delete those undeletable files and folders:
A little background on undeletable files and folders:
I've seen these in the past regarding 'pubbed' FTP servers by illegal
software,
game and movie files that find open FTP servers. They would upload their
files to it but use characters in the name that FTP supports (ASCII
characters) as well as create a very deep file structure with unreadable or
printable ASCII characters, and/or file names with these characters that are
greater than 256 characters. Windows directly supports ANSI characters.
However, although Windows supports ANSI indirectly, it is not supported
directly through the Windows Explorer GUI. Therefore this prevents admins
from getting to them or deleting them, nor delete them. In the older
operating systems, you could install the POSIX support tools (to support
UNIX based commands and using ASCII characters), but that is gone now.
However Windows still provides POSIX support but not directly, however they
can be deleted by using specific commands, but you just have to know the
commands!.
So the other factor, as mentioned, is if the file, folder name, and/or
number of child folders is greater than 256 characters. Many operating
system limits are based on the i386 addressable 32bit architecture, such as
the number of useres that can access a share, which is 4.3 billion objects.
It also depends on the drive and if an app can read it. Many programs also
expect a limit of 256 objects (characters, paths, bytes, etc), maybe even
the deltree command is limited, however NTFS formatted drives can go beyond
the 256 objects.
Is the drive NTFS?
Therefore, not being able to delete them is caused by the factors above,
special characters, trailing spaces, trailing dots (periods) or reserved
names in the folders, such as com, lpt, etc, such as when a machine gets
'pubbed' into an FTP site where the 'pubbers' will create these deep paths
and using reserved names to prevent the admin from deleting them. If someone
created the file or subfolders with these characters,
it will give you headaches to remove them. With an FTP app it's easy to do
this, because they use ASCII characters, such as what POSIX uses, however
WIndows uses ANSI and cannot translate the folders. In the past we had to
install the POSIX support on an NT4 machine to clean up such folders and
files.
Try the following:
Assuming the first folder is the numeral "1" on D drive (and use the quotes
if you have problems and watch the required periods if the command uses it):
rm -r "//D/1"
or
RD \\.\c=D:\1
or
RmDir \\.\D:\1 /s /q
RmDir \\.\C:\YourFTP_ROOT's_PATH\COM1 /s /q
Read the following references for more information and instructions.
How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q120716
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081
Cannot Delete Files or Folders with Extended Characters:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/131702
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--
Ace
This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.
Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging, MCT
Microsoft Certified Trainer
aceman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For urgent issues, you may want to contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please
check http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.
"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right
things." - Peter F. Drucker
http://twitter.com/acefekay
.
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