Folders Created That can't be deleted

[Techman]

I am having a problem that was created PA 9.01. When I have extracted some zip files to my desktop using the New Folder button I got 2 extra folders that were made with a space on the end with can’t be deleted due to file system errors. There were 2 folders made when that happened 1 normal folder which got the zip contents and the extra folder with the same name but a space at end of folder name thats still there. Anyone know how I can delete these folders as the on my desktop. I and running Windows 2003 Server ……TIA Techman

[spwolf]

I think this is only an Windows Explorer limitation - try going to command line and deleting the folder, does that work?

thanks,

[Techman]

I have tried from command line and from winernal disk commander cd but folder cant be deleted. There is also no share or security tab showing in folder properties. I also installed drive in another computer but no help. The space at the end of the name has made the folder undeletable but I have tried putting files inside the folder and deleting them and that worked.

[TBGBe]

Well for Win98 / Win2000 DOS Prompt (commandline) is the way.
I hope it is similar under Win2003.

Change to Desktop directory under Windows.
Then use rmdir ( or just RD ) with wildcard * to match the space(s) at the end.

If this is the ONLY folder on your desktop then use
rmdir *

If you need to enter enough characters to uniquely identify the bad directory
e.g rmdir baddir*

Note: the folder must be empty!

[Techman]

Hi Terry
I tried that but no luck. One of the folders name that I can’t erase is named
FinePrint pdfFactory Pro Enterprise v5.27 with a space at end of name so i tried the rmdir command with the /s switch as well and tried with full filename with the * wildcard at end and different ways with folder name in quotes. Each time I get one of 2 errors
The system cannot find the path specified or
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
When I do a dir command it shows the dir name listed in full.

[TBGBe]

OK
Have you tried REN to rename this folder first (again in DOS mode)?
Not sure, but maybe something like:-

REN Fin*.* Rubbish
RD Rubbish

will work?

Alternative - maybe an explorer replacement such as xplorer²
http://www.netez.com/xplorer2

[Techman]

OK
I tried using ren but folder can’t be found. I even tried to make a folder from cmd prompt with a space at end and it not possible. So I think due to this folder being somehow made with the illegal space at end the commands wont work on it from windows or dos mode
(btw I mean cmd not dos window mode as this is a NTFS formatted drive)

[ivan]

Just one thing. If you try to remove a folder with space at the end from command prompt, make sure you have used “xxxx”. So you enter:

RD "New Folder "

There cannot be any special character in the foldername except space. There are no special characters like invisible space - ALTGr+255 - or some other used in old DOS.

[Techman]

@ivan:

Just one thing. If you try to remove a folder with space at the end from command prompt, make sure you have used “xxxx”. So you enter:

RD "New Folder "

There cannot be any special character in the foldername except space. There are no special characters like invisible space - ALTGr+255 - or some other used in old DOS.

Hi Ivan here is a copy and paste of the cmd prompt so you can see better whats going on. I am using rmdir with /s switch as it removes all sub files and directories and files as well as the dir itself

C:\Documents and Settings\Techman\Desktop>rmdir /s "FinePrint pdfFactory Pro Enterprise v5.27 "
FinePrint pdfFactory Pro Enterprise v5.27 , Are you sure (Y/N)? y
The system cannot find the file specified.

I also did the rd command with same results and I tried wildcards as well.
It not possible nomally to make a file or dir with a space at the end so I am thinking its the reason the dir can’t be deleted.

Also I found out if I make a second folder on my desktop with the same name as the problem folder the system thinks they are the same folder and adds the security and sharing tab to the bad dir. Now I put a file in the bad named dir and tried to delete it from the command prompt and it deleted the file I put in bad dir and the new folder I made without the space that was empty but still left the problem dir on my desktop.

Any more suggestions? TIA!..…Techman

[Henry_Jones]

worth a try, but don’t know if this works on Server 2003:

List the Desktop directory with “dir /x”. Then all files / dirs will be shown with there short filename (if any). So you can try deleting “FINEPR~1” instead of “finePrint…”.

[Techman]

@Henry_Jones:

worth a try, but don’t know if this works on Server 2003:

List the Desktop directory with “dir /x”. Then all files / dirs will be shown with there short filename (if any). So you can try deleting “FINEPR~1” instead of “finePrint…”.

Hi Henry,
That seems to have done the trick. Thank you for the info. That was driving my crazy seeing those folders on my desktop but there gone now