Cannot Delete File: Cannot Read From Source File Or Disk

[ElWappo]

I recently extracted some compressed SF2 files via a drum machine called Battery. Sf2 files are sound font files and contain various audio samples. The battery software extracts the samples from the sf2 files to a folder as WAV files to enable the drum machine to play the samples back. Heres where the problem starts. Now I am done with the samples and folders but three of the folders that have been created wont let me delete them. I get the message.

"Cannot Delete File: Cannot Read From Source File Or Disk"

How on earth can i delete them? Ive tried zapping them with Norton wipe info but that gives me the same message. I have deleted everything that the folders contained, so its not like they are taking up space. But I would still like to kil them.

It's interesting to note that the common bond between the three folders I cannot delete is that the file names all contain several spaces after the last visible character. This is only apparent when you click to rename the folders. When I try to rename I just get the same error.

Any ideas???

[L4yer Cak3]

I know its obvious but have you tried restarting your PC then try to delete the files ? If not then try that as that usually works. You could also try booting up your PC into Safe Mode and try to delete the files which is another way. failing them then I would boot into good old DOS and delete them which should get rid of the files for ya.

[GedR]

ElWappo -

Sounds like some sort of illegal file name. Try running scandisk, hopefuly this will sort the illegal file names and leave them in a deletable state.

GedR

[ElWappo]

thanks for your help both of you. ill give the ideas a spin.

[urbsy]

I use this http://www.softwarepatch.com/software/moveonboot.html ,it seems to work fine.

urbsy

[Novecento]

you might aswell want to give this a try..

http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=dellater

NVC0

[kracken]

try deleting them through winrar ( strange i know , but may work ) or failing that
start/run/cmd
then navigate to folder and try
del filename.wotever

[Q-Buster]

Try starting in safe mode and see if you can delete the files from there?

Q-Buster

[ElWappo]

Thanks for all the help so far. I have tried all of the above...every last F@#king one of them. None of them have been sucessful. Any more suggestions??? I am doing my nut here.

[Q-Buster]

OK, the last resort for me is Necrofile, a secure file shredder, from http://www.necrocosm.com , it doesnt seem to respect file attributes, so it usually wipes anything regardless of whether its being used, marked as archive atc.. It has deleted virus files that you cant delete with other things including PGP file delete. Give that a whirl!!

Q-Buster

[ElWappo]

Nope. tried both the Necro file shredder tools. Nothing doing. These little buggers are hard to kill. I can move the folder into anther directory that ive created but I still cant delete them. Any IT heavy weights on the board that can help???

[Shambles]

How about moving them into another folder, then deleting that top folder?

[ElWappo]

How about moving them into another folder, then deleting that top folder?

Ive tried that. Interstingly I thought I had it a couple of hours ago when I made a folder with exactly the same name and dropped that into the same folder as the problem folders. The os then allowed me to rename both of them folders (The one I cant delete and the newly created one with the same name) and then delete both of the folders. The folder icon dissapears. I THOUGHT I HAD WON!!! But upon returning to the folder, there they are again. Bummer!!!

The only thing I can think of is to move all the important stuff off the drive (which I am reluctant to do as it hold some 19GB of samples to which multiple projects refer) format the partition and then put all the samples back. It would probably work but I really couldnt afford for anything to go wrong.

I could just live with em but you know what its like. I should be able to zap the buggers.

When I try to drag the problem folders to the recycle bin I get the error message 'Cannot Delete <filename> Cannot find the specified file'

Any more ideas guys?

[cronus71]

This should work, according to the google fairy anyway.

START | RUN | CMD
CD to your directory.

Use: DIR /X /A to see the SHORT FILE NAMES of the files and directories there.

use:

RMDIR [/Q] [drive:]path
RD [/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

*Warning "RMDIR/S" removes the directory and everything in it

[waveydavey]

Try a program called move on boot this works great on those stubbon stains.. I mean files you can move or delete with this program.

google it, its freeware.

[ElWappo]

We have a winner. Cronus doent need all these useless utils. He sorts shit out like a man. IN DOS!!!

thanks cronus. Karma given big time.

[waveydavey]

We have a winner. Cronus doent need all these useless utils. He sorts shit out like a man. IN DOS!!!

mmmm?? move on boot aint useless..

This should work, according to the google fairy anyway

no he done what I would have done first..

Glad your sorted anyway.

wd

[/dev/null]

What windows are you using and what filesystem?
Geta bootdisc for the file system type, boot up into dos and try from there.

[Shambles]

What windows are you using and what filesystem?
Geta bootdisc for the file system type, boot up into dos and try from there.

Errmm.. am I missing something? He's solved the problem already... no?

[ElWappo]

no he done what I would have done first

Awww davey I didnt mean to disrespect your Move On Boot util. Im sure its very good. And your right I should have thought of the solution...Guess my minds just too highly trained.

Problem solved. Thanks to everyone.