Hi Chad - Sorry, I've no idea right off hand as to the source of your errant
object (I'm not even sure from your description that this is a legitimate
folder, BTW - I suspect you may have meant file.), and AFAIK, there can be
no such legal extension. It would appear to be an illegal name, since,
while .'s are permissible characters (even more than one are legal in an
extension - see
http://www.file-ext.com/character.html), it isn't legal to
terminate with one or more of them. From KB 320081 section 6 that you
referred to:
"You may not be able to delete a file if the file name includes an invalid
name (for example, the file name has a trailing space or a trailing period
or the file name is made up of a space only)."
And yes, there are thousands of permutations of illegal names.
--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
My Blog, Defending Your Machine, he
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
"Chad Harris" wrote in message
Jim--
I feel fortunate to get such a complete post in such rapid fire time
and I will explore and save every link of course and look forward to
using your site and its resources. But Jim, invalid file or not, do
you know how to ID where the folder with the ... extension comes
from. I don't know much about ASCI II and quite honestly I read a
lot of science jargon and have for years but I found the KB
terminology pretty tough going. I think you can understand how that
might have been and I read a lot of MSKBs in helping some on groups
and chats.
Jim do you know what the 3 dotter was or if there are thousands of
permutations and combinations of invalid files, set me straight.
Maybe it has no name.
Also I might add of course I suggested system restore but the guy
shot back he didn't like it. I find in my travels the most common
system restore delusion is that it impacts documents or that it will
throw away a gamut of things it doesn't. I collect articles on it
including those from the MSFT SR teams and in my experience it does
not lose even the shortcuts and hotfixes since the last restore point
that it advertises. Of course in rare cases, I'm sure system restore
could lose everything, and I am reminded with a smile of this new
halarious long treastise from Mr. Ballmer's legal team now appearing
in some KBs at the bottom like this one:
RAM, Virtual Memory, Pagefile and all that stuff
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;555223
LOL this reminds me of all the direct advertisingTV commercial
formats for prescription meds where the poor perspective patient
hears a small sound bite about drug x only to be quickly deluged with
an unending list of all the PDR's side effects in a big multicenter
study. The commercials border somewhere in my mind between surreal
and totally absurd.
If you can fill me in on the 3 dot or Part 6 of this MSKB applying,
please let me know.
The KB I meant for Part 6 was:
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/Default...1201211201 20
Thanks again very much for the excellent links JIm I would not have
found on my own.
Best,
Chad Harris
__________________________________________________ _
"Jim Byrd" wrote in message
...
Hi Chad - From my Blog, addy in Sig, below. (I suspect you'd want
to use Delete Invalid File for this particular situation):
"Sometimes the tools below will find files which they are unable to
delete because they are in use.
A program called Copylock, here,
http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=misc can
aid in the process of "replacing, moving, renaming or deleting one
or many files which are currently in use (e.g. system files like
comctl32.dll, or virus/trojan files.)"
Another is Killbox, he
http://www.downloads.subratam.org/KillBox.zip
A third which is a bit different but often very useful is Delete
Invalid File, he http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm which handles
invalid/UNC file/folder name deleting, rather than the in use
problem.
A fourth useful program is Unlocker, he
.http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ " Simply right click the folder
or file and select Unlocker. If the folder or file is locked, a
window listing of lockers will appear. Simply select the lockers and
click Unlock and you are
done!" Works as advertised and is particularly helpful in identifying
malware components which are 'protecting' each other."
--
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
My Blog, Defending Your Machine, he
http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/
"Chad Harris" wrote in message
I did not post this in 3 places to be rude or waste time; I posted
to get the best answer to a puzzling problem from the sources I ID
as the best groups; and if someone is perhaps not happy then in a
friendly pleasant way please "bring it" 'cause I can take cyberheat
in an effort to learn.
I'm on an XPSP2 box but it's not my problem but it got bandied about
on one of the MSFT chat formats and without a good answer. I
suspect many of the knowledgable Word regulars or people like
David Candy on the XP groups will be able to knock this out of the
park.
The question is how to delete a folder whose extension has three
dots. When the individual tried to delete it, he got the file is in
use box. I suggested the following and the person did not try any
of them fully but finally got it deleted using: Purge IE
http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm
I suspect Purge IE could use methods in common with something below
but I'm not sure. It was the only one I know that was tried.
I suggested:
1) Reboot
2) Boot into Safe Mode and Delete it from Windows Explorer which
rightly or wrongly I believed would enhance chances of a Safe Mode
Delete, Does Windows Explorer enhance deletions? It's worked for me
on occassion. 3) I suggested Doug Knox's Delete an Undeletable File
and the individual wouldn't try it because he said it would not work
on a "Win 32 System." I took this term to mean a 32 bit Windows and
did not understand the objection. Someone correct me if I
misconstrued the term please.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm 4) I
suggested this MSKB:
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/Default...1201211201 20
5) Finally could Doug's method and the Purge IE method and the KB be
any of the same methods?
Also I found the reading a little tough and wondered about Part 6 in
the KB.
TIA,
Chad Harris