Solved Undeletable 0 Byte File

[aozgolo]

I've had this file on my computer desktop for a couple of months now, it is titled "www.p4ac.com .com.com ", is 0 bytes, has no file association, and cannot be removed by any process I have thus tried.

-F5 Refresh does nothing
-Delete shows the error above that it could not find the item
-Tools like File Assassin and Eraser cannot remove the item
-Safe Mode & Logged in under admin doesn't allow its removal

Whatever this is and however it got there, it's not able to be found by anything, it simply doesn't actually exist except in "name only" but this ghost file can't be removed through any means I've tried thus far, and it's been there for months!

Any advice to resolve this issue would be most helpful!

 

[AddRAM]

Did you try making a folder, then put the problem file/folder in that, then try to delete it ?

It looks like a website url, sometimes you have to re create a folder or finish creating it to delete it. Go to that website, save the url and save it in the same place as that 0 byte file, it should ask you to replace the one you have. Just say yes, then try to delete it.

 

[Zoloft]

Have you attempted to rename the file first? I have a hunch the double .com at the end might be part of the issue. If you can rename it, do so, then attempt to delete it. If it still won't delete but will let you rename, reboot first, then attempt to delete it again.

 

[aozgolo]

It won't allow you to rename it or move it, gives the exact same error.

If I try to create a new file with the exact same name in it and move it to the desktop, it adds that file next to this ghost file without overwriting it, and deleting it still leaves the ghost.

It's definitely a website URL, it's from a website my girlfriend has been to in the past, I know she saved some of the webpages but I have not been able to recreate the same file name through that method.

There is no physical file on my computer basically, so all standard or advanced file operations aren't going to work on it, I need to know specifically what is allowing windows to maintain a non-existent file reference on the desktop? Maybe a MFT issue? I don't really know the intricacies of how the OS works so I have no real clue how to go about removing it.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Maybe the info in this video (that GrayGhost2 found) will help:



But I suggest that you read this post about copy/paste in a command prompt window.

 

[AddRAM]

Here`s a crazy idea that might work, boot Linux Mint 16 from a flash drive, browse to your windows 7 desktop and see if you can delete it from there.


Download - Linux Mint

Universal USB Installer ? Easy as 1 2 3 | USB Pen Drive Linux

 

[aozgolo]

Maybe the info in this video (that GrayGhost2 found) will help:



But I suggest that you read this post about copy/paste in a command prompt window.

This did indeed solve the problem, thank you!

 

[JesseWV]

Sorry for the necro but the link to the video is no longer valid. I have the same exact problem. How was it solved?

 

[JesseWV]

I was able to delete the file by using a wildcard in an elevated DOS cmd prompt.

The file was named "Fan Talk "

Using windows explorer to delete, rename or move the file resulted in the error shown by the OP.

Using a CMD prompt DOS command:

DEL "Fan Talk "

(Used TAB key for automatic filename) resulted in "File not found."

Finally, typing:

DEL Fan*

... did the trick! Just make sure no other important files match that wildcard.

 

[mnvprasad]

Delete undeletable folder/file

For me below worked:
Had folder called "b" with nested folders under it as

E:\b\b\b\b\b\b\xxxx with zero kb

Created empty folder called "a"

Used command robocopy a b /mir to delte all the folders/files under "b"

 

[BisVal]

For such cases I use the program Unlocker .