Delete a File using DD10

[MRodgers]

I have a file on my old XP C: drive that cannot be deleted. When I cloned the drive and the unnamed files were copied over to the new HDD. I want to get rid of these files so I can do a clean clone.

Windows shows no file name, but one of the files shows the creation date and a size of 13 MB, and DOS says no file is found when executing a DIR command. I have tried several 3rd party "deleters", but none of them work. DDS10 sees the directory the files are in, but won't delete the folder. I am running DDS from Vista on another HDD (E:). I am wondering if there is a way to locate the file in the FAT and delete the references to it, or something like that using DD10 editor.

Any help out there?

--mark

[K0LO]

mark:

If you view the file in Windows, can you see its security tab? If so, try taking ownership of the file and then deleting it.

If it's an orphaned file from a bad entry then check disk should clean it up. Try running chkdsk c: /f on your drive and rebooting to let the check disk routine run.

If it's just a file that Windows has locked and won't let you delete, try booting from the Disk Director CD. Explore the disk and locate the file. Delete it. To be safe (I still don't trust Linux to write correctly to an NTFS file system), run chkdsk again after rebooting into Windows.

I'd be wary of messing around with the disk at a low level; you could cause unintended damage.

[MRodgers]

I followed your instructions and still have the same problem. The file system cannot find or delete the files.

Here's what DOS DIR sees: http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/DOSWindowScreenshot.jpg

Here's what CHKDSK says: http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/AdministratorCommandPrompt126200890.jpg Rebooting the computer changed nothing.

Windows Explorer shows: http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/deleteme126200885709PM.jpg

Here are the file properties shown in Windows Explorer:
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/Properties126200891557PM.jpg
http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/Properties126200891603PM.jpg

Finally, DD10 shows: http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr142/javabumb/DD10Screenshot.jpg

When running DD10 from the install CD the K: drive wouldn't show up. I double checked the BIOS and it appears there.

At this point, I'd like to find this file reference in the FAT32 table and see what I can do to fix or get rid of it. I'm technically savvy and am comfortable working at this level of the machine. This is a cloned drive, so no harm in crashing it. I want to learn on this drive so I can fix the original and ultimately move it to a new drive without the "cling-on".

--mark

[K0LO]

Mark:

It does sound like you have some kind of directory or file system problem. Try a google search for "delete an undeleteable file". Some of the hints include shutting down explorer (http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm), or saving a notepad file over the bad file.

You can probably find some programs that are designed to delete undeleteable files. Otherwise you may have to delve into the structure of the FAT32 file system and learn how to do manual repairs. Sorry; haven't done that so I can't be of help.

-{ Quote: "When running DD10 from the install CD the K: drive wouldn't show up. I double checked the BIOS and it appears there." }-Is your K: drive on a SATA disk? The "full" (Linux) version of DD may not have the correct driver for your hardware. Have you tried starting DD in the "safe" mode? In this mode it should recognize any disk that your BIOS can see.

[MRodgers]

K: drive is an IDE drive with a primary partition on it. Windows XP SP3 was cloned from the original drive. Remember this is my practice drive.

I tried shutting down explorer. Unlocker, and a bunch of tricks suggested by others. When I booted into Vista recovery CD I could see a file name shown as "?$?$?$??ø%" There may be some non-printing characters afterwards. I tried working with the part of the name that I could see and couldn't get the CLI to confirm that I was even close on the name.

So far I have decoded the boot sector and calculated where the FAT is supposed to begin. I haven't figured out how to decipher the FAT entries yet. Will work on it some more.

Surely one among us has been to the brink of FAT before and lived to tell the tale???

--mark