help me w/ cmd prompt- invalid argument/option- 'Files\....\...'

[minnow666]

because of something unknown AVG stopped working for me, and i can't uninstall it normally because some files were missing... now i am trying to just delete everything manually in command prompt, except access is denied, so i must run a takeown command and a cacles command (? right).

k, so here's the problem:

when in command prompt i type... takeown /f c:\program files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll

it returns with ERROR: Invalid Argument/Option - 'files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll'

i am assuming that it's because there is a space in program files, i've tried typing it as c:\program_files\.... and c:\program%files.... but neither works... anybody? anything?

thanks p

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I've never used takeown, but...

are you trying to run this from c:\ ?????

can you instead navigate (change directories) to a prompt at C:\program files\avg\avg2012 and then just run takeown /f avgsysx.dll?

Or can you temporarily move or copy avgsysx to c:\temp and then run the command and then copy it back to avg folder if necessary?

 

[MilesAhead]

takeown /f c:\program files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll

On the command line if a path has any spaces in it, you have to wrap it in double quotes.
For example to run c:\program files\myprog.exe from the command line I have to type
"c:\program files\myprog.exe"

Note the double quotes.
takeown /f "c:\program files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll"

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Thanks for that, Miles. I've never heard of that and never been in such a situation.

 

[MilesAhead]

Thanks for that, Miles. I've never heard of that and never been in such a situation.

That's one of my Windows pet peeves is spaces in paths. Makes for a lot of messy programming. But we're stuck with it. Might be a good trivia question what version of Windows/Dos first allowed spaces in paths?

I don't remember myself it's been so long.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Sometimes you need to use multiple sets of double quotes (").

For example, if the path has spaces AND you wish to execute a program with switches (I think this is the correct syntax. I can't find the batch file that I had to do this in):

cmd /k ""path\program.exe" switches"
​

 

[minnow666]

thanks miles that solved the space problem, now able to take ownership but still can't delete,
so i'll run >Icacls "c:\program files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll g/ username:f"
which returns success 0 fail 1........boo, well at least we solved the spacing?

i am understanding that i have taken ownership of the file, now i can grant myself full permissions with icacls command (my query turned up the cacls command but my cmd prompt says Note: Cacls is now deprecated, please use Icacls) so that i can delete the file... any more suggestions? prolly try it out in safe mode tomorrow

 

[Corazon]

Only include the path/filename within quotes, not the name and all the arguments. The command should look like this:

icacls "c:\program files\avg\avg2012\avgsysx.dll" /g username:f

But you also can make life much easier on yourself with this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html

Or try AVG's own cleanup tools here: http://www.avg.com/ww-en/utilities - might save you a lot of work, or at least get most of it done for you.

 

[minnow666]

solved

thanks all for the help, in the end i had to boot up safe mode w command prompt to finally delete these files and get the icacls command to work. thx

 

[Corazon]

Glad you were successful in the end. To make sure that your system really is free of any and all AVG remnants, I still recommend downloading the AVG cleanup tool I linked to in my previous post - especially because of the registry keys left behind.

Then grab a solid replacement antivirus such as avast! or better yet, Microsoft Security Essentials.