Cannot delete icon from desktop

I have an icon on my Win7Pro desktop that cannot be deleted, changed, or anything. I believe it was originally connected to a pdf file that I downloaded (from a reputable site) but the download was interrupted. It's file name is simply Donor.

When I try to delete it I get a flash screen that states: Could not find this item. This is no longer located (in desktop location). Verify the item's location and try again.

I cannot rename the file. It's properties shows that it is on the desktop but has 0 bytes.

I have tried about a gazillion things to no avail, including:

• Searched the registry for any entry that matches Donor, with nothing found.
• Booted into safe mode and tried from there with no luck, still won't delete.
• I am using full Kaspersky and a complete system sweep shows no malware, virus, etc.
• Found some sites that gave some script for trying to remove such files via the CMD prompt, but result always was that the file does not exist.

Anybody have any other recommendations?


Thanks.

Thanks for the quick response!!

I found a similar suggested solution to this in my many searches, which did not work, but your script is a little different.

When I type in CMD it takes me right to the command line for the user name on the PC. The first line of your script then takes me to the same location plus "/desktop." OK so far.

Now, the second line of your script results in a response:

The target of the symbolic link C: \Users\ThinkPad W520\Desktop\Donor does not exist.

What I typed in was:

C: \Users\ThinkPad W520\Desktop\attrib -r -s -h "Donor"*.*

Any ideas?

Thanks again.

AddRAM said:

Did you create a folder, then move it into that folder, then try to delete it ?

Yes, that was one of the gazillion things I tried early on. Will not be moved off the desktop.

Thanks.

Kari said:

I've sometimes had this kind of issue, and after frustrating attempts to delete the icon, I simply right cliked empty spot on desktop and selected Refresh. This took the orphan icon away.

Kari

That was about the fourth thing I did amongst the gazillion things. Didn't work, of course.

Thanks!

Dinesh said:

File - Delete from Command Prompt

Used the exact format in step 6 of the tutorial (already had it set to show file extension).

Said that it could not find the file.