Cannot read corrupt file

[petaylor]

For what ever reason, I have a file on my 1TB WDC drive:

D:\users\user_name\documents\xxxxx.pdf

that upon trying to open it, I receive a message that the file is corrupt.

I have looked high and low trying to find a way to DELETE this file, but to no avail. There's lot of references about running CHKDSK to check the drive, running FSUTIL to query the dirty bit (which is set on this drive, because of this file), and using CHKDSK to clear the dirty-bit. And, I tried them all. This, however, is NOT a hard drive issue. The drive is fine. It's the file structure that is in error. I just need a solution that will let me DELETE the file. I don't want recover it.

Here's what I'm trying:
1. Use Paragon-Software Hard Disk Manager 12 to copy the hard drive to another drive. The second drive is large enough to hold all the data from the larger drive.
2. Check the file on the drive copy... (yep, it's there... yep, it's corrupt... yep, the dirty-bit is on)
3. Create a filter in Paragon-Software HDM12 for that specific file.
4. Run the disk copy again using the filter.
5. Check the file on the drive copy... (this time the file is not there and the dirty bit is not set)

Having done this, I think I'm ready to copy the hard drive back. I just haven't pulled the trigger. I want to recable the drives to use the copy just to make sure I can reach everything. Then, I'll pull the trigger.

If there's a better way that I can do this, I'd love to hear it.

Ed

 

[TBoyd]

If you right-click on the .pdf file > properties>security tab, can you set permissions for this file or take ownership? If so, you should be able to delete it after gaining control of the file.

If it is so corrupt that you can't do that, someone else on the forum may be able to help.

 

[Ztruker]

Sounds like you have a working solution, so try this.

Open an Elevated Command Prompt
Type echo xxxxxxxx > D:\users\user_name\documents\xxxxx.pdf and press Enter.

Or .. can you move the file to another location, like a flash drive, then format the flash drive?

 

[TBoyd]

Sounds like you have a working solution, so try this.

Open an Elevated Command Prompt
Type echo xxxxxxxx > D:\users\user_name\documents\xxxxx.pdf and press Enter.

Or .. can you move the file to another location, like a flash drive, then format the flash drive?

Good suggestions!

 

[windude99]

Install this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html
Next, right click on the file and select "Take Ownership" and then, try to delete the file.

 

[petaylor]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I should really have called this "Cannot delete a corrupt file", because I don't want to read it. I just want to delete it. My account has administrator authority, but the file does have another person (my wife) as the owner. I dont' think ownership is the issue in this case, because I was ble to delete all the other files in this specific folder, of hers. This one file is the only one that's left.

I'll give the suggestions a go and report the results.

 

[petaylor]

After trying various ways to delete this file, such as deleting from an elevated command prompt, using the system repair disc and the command prompt there, and more, and running chkdsk /f /r d: again and again... none of which worked... I finally got this issue resolved.

The short version is that I used the Paragon HDM12 Disk Copy functnion to copy the bad d: drive to a smaller e: drive filtering out the problem file. I had to reboot and recable a few times to make the bad d: drive another letter, so that I could have both drives mounted at the same time. Then, I used Paragon HDM12 Disk Copy to copy the "now good" d: drive to the old d: drive mounted as e:. Again, I had to reboot and recable a few times to make the smaller d: drive the e: drive, so that I could have both drives mounted at the same time, as they were originally. I chedked the system out and am able to get to everything.... without running into a "corrupt file" issue or the dreaded "dirty bit".

Can anyone confirm whether or not there are other software products that allow a disk copy from one drive to a smaller drive, as long as the data can fit on it, like Paragon's HDM12. I tired O&O and Acronis demo products, but it didn't look like they do.