Nuke a File

DaneBrooke · 06-21-2008, 08:19 PM

After my backup failed I started poking around and found a file with an impossibly long name that I cannot delete or rename from either a cmd window or using explorer. I have decided I need to nuke this file, and I am not above wiping the entire drive if necessary. But I was hoping someone here could give me a simpler alternative. Thanks!

CTSNKY · 06-22-2008, 04:43 AM

Try a nice, little utility called KillBox:

http://www.killbox.net/

Or boot from a Bart's PE CD and delete that way.

**sobeit** · 06-22-2008, 06:57 AM

be very sure of what the file does before nuking. You could lose the use of some program.

DaneBrooke · 06-22-2008, 04:19 PM

Thank you both!

DaneBrooke · 06-24-2008, 01:46 AM

Nice try. Didn't work.

**af3** · 06-26-2008, 11:13 AM

Does it tell you that the file is being used by another process?
Try "Unlocker"

Does it just not respond to a delete command?
Try "chkdsk"

It could just be a bad entry in your file allocation table or a bad spot on the hard disk.

DaneBrooke · 06-26-2008, 12:11 PM

Good ideas. The file is not in use. Chkdsk reports no problems. Yeah, it does not respond to delete... I think the file name is so long that "del filename.ext" doesn't fit in the cmd buffer. In another thread I mentioned loss of a HD; well *that* was my devbox. I just got it reconstructed to the point of being able to write code again (but hardly what you could call restored, that will take a week- bummer) so I am going to write a utility that goes after it. I'll let you know how that goes. Thanks!

**af3** · 06-26-2008, 12:49 PM

I had a file that would not delete once. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I think it involved moving all the important data to a safe location and destroying the folder using "Eraser" with a 3 pass erase.

DaneBrooke · 06-26-2008, 02:25 PM

Yeah, the combined path&filename exceeded sytem max. Once I renamed the containing directories to shorter names the file deleted easily.

06-21-2008, 08:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
DaneBrooke Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle! Posts: 110 OS: Win2000sp4+ My System	Nuke a File After my backup failed I started poking around and found a file with an impossibly long name that I cannot delete or rename from either a cmd window or using explorer. I have decided I need to nuke this file, and I am not above wiping the entire drive if necessary. But I was hoping someone here could give me a simpler alternative. Thanks! __________________ Dane Brooke Seattle!

06-22-2008, 04:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
CTSNKY Knower of all that is MS Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 10,755 OS: (multiple machines) 95, 98, 2K & XP Home & Pro	Re: Nuke a File Try a nice, little utility called KillBox: http://www.killbox.net/ Or boot from a Bart's PE CD and delete that way. __________________ GO BIG BLUE!!

06-22-2008, 06:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: Nuke a File be very sure of what the file does before nuking. You could lose the use of some program. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age

06-22-2008, 04:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
DaneBrooke Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle! Posts: 110 OS: Win2000sp4+ My System	Re: Nuke a File Thank you both! __________________ Dane Brooke Seattle!

06-24-2008, 01:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
DaneBrooke Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle! Posts: 110 OS: Win2000sp4+ My System	Re: Nuke a File Nice try. Didn't work. __________________ Dane Brooke Seattle!

06-26-2008, 11:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: Nuke a File Does it tell you that the file is being used by another process? Try "Unlocker" Does it just not respond to a delete command? Try "chkdsk" It could just be a bad entry in your file allocation table or a bad spot on the hard disk.

06-26-2008, 12:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
DaneBrooke Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle! Posts: 110 OS: Win2000sp4+ My System	Re: Nuke a File Good ideas. The file is not in use. Chkdsk reports no problems. Yeah, it does not respond to delete... I think the file name is so long that "del filename.ext" doesn't fit in the cmd buffer. In another thread I mentioned loss of a HD; well that was my devbox. I just got it reconstructed to the point of being able to write code again (but hardly what you could call restored, that will take a week- bummer) so I am going to write a utility that goes after it. I'll let you know how that goes. Thanks! __________________ Dane Brooke Seattle!

06-26-2008, 12:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
af3 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,173 OS: XP32, the gaming OS. My System	Re: Nuke a File I had a file that would not delete once. I can't remember exactly what I did, but I think it involved moving all the important data to a safe location and destroying the folder using "Eraser" with a 3 pass erase.

06-26-2008, 02:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
DaneBrooke Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Seattle! Posts: 110 OS: Win2000sp4+ My System	Re: Nuke a File Yeah, the combined path&filename exceeded sytem max. Once I renamed the containing directories to shorter names the file deleted easily. __________________ Dane Brooke Seattle!