Solved One folder with files, inside a number of empty folders

[Melita]

Thank you for taking all this trouble. I will await your response.

Best regards.

 

[Sir George]

Thank you for taking all this trouble. I will await your response.

Best regards.

I forgot that the cmd prompt needs to be open in my earlier post. The following should solve the problem.

1. Open an elevated cmd prompt (see post #9 in this thread)
2. Go to the drive and the directory where the file or folder is located
(as I recall folders need to be empty before they can be deleted)
3. To delete a file, type this: del filename.xxx
(don’t forget the .xxx file extension, for example; .doc)
4. Don't hit enter yet, first open task manager (cntrl+shift+esc) go to process tab than right click on “explorer.exe” choose and click on "end process now" and your desktop will be closed. Go back to the "cmd" window and hit enter.

Now the file is deleted. Go back to the task manager and click on "file" on the upper left corner then on new task then type in "explorer.exe" and you are done.
(Please note; if the file or folder name has spaces use quotes to enclose it, for example; "Program Files")

PS: In most cases “LockHunter” will work for deleting files or folders that are locked by explorer by requesting a restart which stops "explorer.exe" and removes the file during the boot process. However, there are times when this doesn't work for some unknown reason.

HTH

 

[Melita]

Most disappointing and strange too. It didn't work either! I tried the complete procedure 3 times, with new command prompts each time I re-opened explorer.exe. Please see PNG-5 of my last attempt. I tried closing explorer.exe from the start menu ('addictive tips' method) and also from the task manager. Had the process explorer also open. Both these showed the explorer.exe closed. Got the same answer from the CMD as yesterday.

I also rechecked the the process using process explorer and there is no doubt about the process that is using the folders.

I used the RD /S /Q entry and not 'del' as you suggested in your message. Before posting this, I tried 'del' as you will see from PNG-4. The system added an asterisk to my entry and asked "whether I am sure". I did not proceed because I was concerned that the entire "Users\MELITA\My Documents\ALL OTHER\PERMNENT FILES\PERMNENT FILES\FILMS",was going to be removed!! This, I did with explorer.exe running. What could this be? This happened only when I entered 'del', instead of RD /S /Q.

To clarify matters, all the folders are empty - no files. Files are saved in another library.

Regards.

 

[Sir George]

Most disappointing and strange too. It didn't work either! I tried the complete procedure 3 times, with new command prompts each time I re-opened explorer.exe. Please see PNG-5 of my last attempt. I tried closing explorer.exe from the start menu ('addictive tips' method) and also from the task manager. Had the process explorer also open. Both these showed the explorer.exe closed. Got the same answer from the CMD as yesterday.

I also rechecked the the process using process explorer and there is no doubt about the process that is using the folders.

I used the RD /S /Q entry and not 'del' as you suggested in your message. Before posting this, I tried 'del' as you will see from PNG-4. The system added an asterisk to my entry and asked "whether I am sure". I did not proceed because I was concerned that the entire "Users\MELITA\My Documents\ALL OTHER\PERMNENT FILES\PERMNENT FILES\FILMS",was going to be removed!! This, I did with explorer.exe running. What could this be? This happened only when I entered 'del', instead of RD /S /Q.

To clarify matters, all the folders are empty - no files. Files are saved in another library.

Regards.

The asterisk is used to indicate wildcards or more commonly "anything". So, if I have files like; Jim.jpg, Bob.jpg, Sally.jpg, etc., then all the names preceeding the .jpg will be removed from that folder.

If the folders are empty, then delete them. Use the "del" command to do so.

HTH

 

[Melita]

They are as stubborn as a mules. CMD prompt shows as if they were deleted but they are still there. See screen shot.

 

[Sir George]

They are as stubborn as a mules. CMD prompt shows as if they were deleted but they are still there. See screen shot.

There's nothing more I can suggest, I've run out of ideas. I guess, the good news is, from what you have stated, it is only a cosmetic issue.

 

[Melita]

The redeeming feature is that you stayed with me all this while and gave me so much of your time. I also learned much. Your help is very much appreciated.

My best regards.

 

[Sir George]

The redeeming feature is that you stayed with me all this while and gave me so much of your time. I also learned much. Your help is very much appreciated.

My best regards.

Thank you.

 

[Melita]

Hello Sir George,

A pleasant surprise. The folders got deleted. The wayward ways of Windows 7.

A few minutes ago, I was saving some web pages to My documents. On the spur of the moment, I right clicked and clicked 'delete' on the offending folder and to my amazement it disappeared, taking with it, the other three inside of it! Looked in the Recycle Bin and it is there. The files I removed from them are safe where I put them.

Since my last attempt, I did nothing to attribute this to. Only unusual thing is that I restarted the computer after some windows updates yesterday. This was the first time the computer was switched off since this exercise began. Whether this had any effect, I know not.

Best regards.

.

 

[Sir George]

Hello Sir George,

A pleasant surprise. The folders got deleted. The wayward ways of Windows 7.

A few minutes ago, I was saving some web pages to My documents. On the spur of the moment, I right clicked and clicked 'delete' on the offending folder and to my amazement it disappeared, taking with it, the other three inside of it! Looked in the Recycle Bin and it is there. The files I removed from them are safe where I put them.

Since my last attempt, I did nothing to attribute this to. Only unusual thing is that I restarted the computer after some windows updates yesterday. This was the first time the computer was switched off since this exercise began. Whether this had any effect, I know not.

Best regards.

.

Good news, I am glad it finally got sorted out. I will add "restart" to the steps for future reference and see if that works to remove the entries.

 

[Melita]

Could you please tell me the difference between the two commands 'del' and 'RD /S /Q'.

I would also like to get familiar with the Process Explorer. Could you direct me to a tutorial for same.

Regards

 

[Just married]

files in folder C, no files in A,B folders

I have seen creators of software create folders with hideen files, how they do that I do not know is one thing to think about. First open Folder Options, click the View tab, locate the option LOCATE HIDDEN FOLDERS AND FILES, place a dot in that option. Then check the folders that did not show anything in them, if there is still no files in them go back to folder options and remove the dot you added and make sure the option above that one has the dot.

Since you know what the files are in the folder that contains the files, create a new folder in the same drive the A folder is in with the folder name that relates to the files. Locate the files in folder C, select them, right click them and choose cut, then open the folder you created and in the blank space in that folder right click and choose paste. Then Delete the folder that contains the empty folders and files. Problem solved. One folder containg the files.

 

[Sir George]

Could you please tell me the difference between the two commands 'del' and 'RD /S /Q'.

I would also like to get familiar with the Process Explorer. Could you direct me to a tutorial for same.

Regards

del or erase
Deletes one or more files.
This command is used to delete a particular or more files.
Syntax: del filenameerase filename
Options: *.* All files in current folder*.* /s all files in current folder and sub folders,

rd, rmdir - Both mean "remove directory"
Removes (deletes) a directory.
RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:] path
RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:] path
/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory in addition to
the directory itself. Used to remove a directory tree.
/Q Quiet mode. Do not ask if OK to remove a directory tree with /S.

The following should help with explaining and using Process Explorer:

Tutorial and Advance Troubleshooting using Process Explorer | Captain Debugger

HTH

 

[Melita]

Thank you very much.

 

[Melita]

Hello Just married,

I am reluctant to use the 'cut' method on valuable files, for fear of losing them. I tried many similar methods but they didn't work. Thank you for this information.

Regards.

 

[Just married]

Folders some with files some without

I have no problem with CUT as long as no other action like cut, copy, paste is done before a paste which removes the files from que. You can use Copy, but then you must go back and delete all the folders that you had originaly. I have done with a thousand times, has not failed me yet. I am allways moving files and folders from one place to another. I teach a computer club in the retirement community I live in and wind up with lots of files some i want to keep and put them in an isolated place like a flash drive or an external hard drive for storage or what ever.

 

[Melita]

I myself never had a problem with files and folders before this. For some obscure reason these particular folders refused to delete.

Regards.

 

[Sir George]

I did a little more checking for a good tutorial on Process Explorer and found the following;

http://www.k-state.edu/its/security...andouts/Process_Explorer_Tutorial_Handout.pdf

It appears to be more in-depth and with fewer grammatical mistakes.

 

[Melita]

Thank you for all the help. I shall keep both these articles about the Process Explorer. I don't understand most of it but I will keep at it!

Best regards.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

just chiming in, I'd personally move the files out of those folders, and then do a disk check (both options checked). It isn't the first time something like this turned out to be a filesystem error, that diskcheck fixed.

In case the issue persists, I'd use a linux liveCD (or pendrive) to boot a Linux flavor instead of Win 7, then proceed to do such housekeeping without any interference. (as Linux does not care of Win 7's things, which cuts both ways as you can ruin the installation if you run amok and delete system files, as long as you are playing with stuff in My Documents you should be safe).

I use Puppy Linux, but you can use ubuntu as long as when you see this screen you choose Try Ubuntu.