Cannot Delete 0 Byte File on Desktop

The toopic looks pretty old, but got this probleme today. I set camtasia studio to convert my videos on desktop. I tryed to convert a video, but the folder with the video never show on my desktop. After restarting the pc the folder apeared on the desktop with the video inside. I was able to move the video but not the folder because it was showing 0 bytes. Here is the my solution: Go to controlpanel/User Accounts create a new administrator acount. Know swich user to it. Go to C:\Users\ and enter the folder that has the same name with the old account. Know move the desktop folder that contains the 0 byte file on the new desktop. create a new Desktop folder in that location (C:\Users\old account folder). Move any icons or files from the old desktop folder to the new that you created except the 0 byte file. Swich back to your old user, go again to controlpanel/User Accounts and delete or disable the second account you created.

Unlocker should work!

The trick is to delete the file using its short name. To discover the short name, open a command line window, and type DIR /X. This will show you two names for the zero byte file--the normal one and a "short name" that consists of the first 6 letters of the file name, a tilde (~), and a number. Now use DEL with the short name.

Thanks romar: I was going crazy trying to delete 2 '0 byte' system files created from htm files sent by my share market broker (as credit notes!). Your tip about UNLOCKER solved my problem in a flash! Prakash Holla, Bangalore, India.

Question to the OP: did you restart at all before making all these attempts at deleting the 0-byte file?
It seems to be a weird bug in Windows 7 which I encounter in some rare circumstances. I've found that when nothing else will get rid of a phantom file, a restart will. I can only assume that the restart clears up something that's gotten stuck in the NTFS filesystem cache or in Explorer's icon cache or whatever.
(And no, there's no delete operation queued to perform at boot time.)

Thanks bethel95! The "dir /x" and deleting it with its short name worked for me :).

If anyone needs to remove a 0 byte file from desktop - you cannot put in recycle bin, or cannot locate file comes up, cannot open the file, cannot find the file or cannot delete file - try this:

TO REMOVE A GHOST -0 BYTE FILE
BOOT UP YOUR COMPUTER IN SAFE MODE
FIND DIRECTORY AND FIND FILE
If The file is named: xxxxx xxxx xxxxx
TYPE: DEL “xxxx xxxx xxxxx*.*”
SPECIFICALLY - [USE THE QUOTES AND *.* AND THE END QUOTE AROUND THE PARTICULAR FILE NAME]
File should be gone.
CLOSE WINDOW
Shut down
Reboot in regular mode.
THIS TOOK ME A WHILE TO RESEARCH AND TEST - BUT ITS GONE AND IT Got it done for me!

romar said:

Try Unlocker. been using it more than a year and it didn't fail me.

The first post from the OP states "Unlocker" was not successful.