Stubborn file on desktop...

2009-03-10 07:53:47

#1

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

For a while now I've had this hidden 'Cookies' folder on my desktop with an 'index.dat' file inside it.
I've tried everything I can think of to delete that .dat file but I just can't get rid of it.
I'm 100% sure that my browser doesn't save it's cookies on my desktop.

So far I've:
Tried Safemode
Tried ending the process that was using it (I can't find the procces anymore strangely)
Tried using "MoveOnBoot"
Tried using "Unlocker"
Tried using 10 different programs
etc etc

The file is still on my desktop.
Help.

2009-03-10 08:02:36

#2

Benzin: Member; +576|6262

Reformat?

Perhaps another browser is using it, though.

Have you tried CCleaner? It's pretty robust in removing things.

2009-03-10 08:12:32

#3

Finray: Hup! Dos, Tres, Cuatro; +2,629|6052|Catherine Black

I hate it when that happens, I've got a "Games" folder on my desktop, empty, but the folder won't go.

Right click > show desktop icons off sorts it though xD

2009-03-10 08:18:24

#4

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

do you use xp or vista?

allow me to elaborate. the xp OS natively supports the posix subsystem, while in Vista, it must be turned on. either way, there is a powerful unix command called 'rm' that will delete ANYTHING you want it to. the problem is that this is a very dangerous command, as even a simple mistake in the file path you are trying to delete will remove everything in the parent. i watched a newbie tech successfully delete the entire system32 folder on a windows machine with this command. it will remove a file regardless of its current state, even when it is in use. the only protection is if the folder or file is write-protected. make sure it's not, and this command will cure your ills.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/urm.htm

Last edited by steelie34 (2009-03-10 08:25:49)

https://bf3s.com/sigs/36e1d9e36ae924048a933db90fb05bb247fe315e.png

2009-03-10 08:19:26

#5

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

CapnNismo wrote:
Reformat?

Perhaps another browser is using it, though.

Have you tried CCleaner? It's pretty robust in removing things.

CCleaner finds the file and sets it up for deletion but fails to get rid of it on boot.

I am using Vista.

2009-03-10 08:24:11

#6

Ioan92: Member; +337|5986

I think your file is either being used or either corrupted.

Happens to me when I move a lot of files. Generally the problem fixes itself.

EDIT: Since I don't keep anything on my desk anymore, Even if this happens, I couldn't really care about it.

Last edited by Ioan92 (2009-03-10 08:26:14)

2009-03-10 08:25:10

#7

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

ok since you are using vista, you have to turn on the subsystem for unix through the "turn windows features on/off" in the add remove programs. are you familiar with that?

oh and make sure your browser really isn't using that folder. it's possible the file is being deleted at startup by those other apps, but then recreated because IE is using it...

Last edited by steelie34 (2009-03-10 08:29:30)

2009-03-10 09:45:20

#8

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

steelie34 wrote:
ok since you are using vista, you have to turn on the subsystem for unix through the "turn windows features on/off" in the add remove programs. are you familiar with that?

oh and make sure your browser really isn't using that folder. it's possible the file is being deleted at startup by those other apps, but then recreated because IE is using it...

I never use I.E. and it doesn't start with windows. Could it still create its cookie folder?
(tbh I can't find where it saves cookies from the options screen, not on FF either)

I am familiar with that windows features page but never used it. What's the setting I'm looking for?

2009-03-10 10:38:57

#9

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

find the option called "subsystem for unix-based applications" and mark the check box. after it installs the feature, use the RM command in this link to delete the file and folder.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/urm.htm

Last edited by steelie34 (2009-03-10 10:39:44)

2009-03-11 06:48:11

#10

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

steelie34 wrote:
find the option called "subsystem for unix-based applications" and mark the check box. after it installs the feature, use the RM command in this link to delete the file and folder.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/urm.htm

Damn, apparently that option is only available in Ultimate and Enterprice editions of Vista.

2009-03-11 06:52:44

#11

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

Gawwad wrote:
steelie34 wrote:
find the option called "subsystem for unix-based applications" and mark the check box. after it installs the feature, use the RM command in this link to delete the file and folder.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/urm.htm
Damn, apparently that option is only available in Ultimate and Enterprice editions of Vista.

really? i didn't know... that sucks because this would have worked.

2009-03-11 10:23:57

#12

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

steelie34 wrote:
Gawwad wrote:
steelie34 wrote:
find the option called "subsystem for unix-based applications" and mark the check box. after it installs the feature, use the RM command in this link to delete the file and folder.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/urm.htm
Damn, apparently that option is only available in Ultimate and Enterprice editions of Vista.
really? i didn't know... that sucks because this would have worked.

Yeah, there is no such option and I googled it and all results pointed that way.
XP had this feature on the home version but they removed it in Vista for some reason.

2009-03-11 11:30:35

#13

san4: The Mas; +311|6952|NYC, a place to live

I know nothing about Vista, but is it possible to boot the computer into DOS with a startup disk and delete the file from DOS?

2009-03-11 13:29:25

#14

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

san4 wrote:
I know nothing about Vista, but is it possible to boot the computer into DOS with a startup disk and delete the file from DOS?

dos is actually no longer the framework the OS sits on. i remember the good old days when windows was built on DOS, and dos could be used for all sorts of useful tasks, but no more. now it's just the command prompt, and gives you the basic commands that can all run inside windows.

but, you do have a good idea here... gawwad could use a linux live cd, or other boot disk to load a CD-based OS, and then access the file system on his hard drive to delete the file. are you familiar with any of that gawwad?

2009-03-11 13:31:02

#15

liquidat0r: wtf.; +2,223|6891|UK

Can you move the file? Drag/drop to somewhere else.

2009-03-11 14:05:55

#16

13urnzz: Banned; +5,830|6761

have you tried renaming the *.dat file, then deleting it?

2009-03-11 19:08:01

#17

Gawwad: My way or Haddaway!; +212|6948|Espoo, Finland

liquidat0r wrote:
Can you move the file? Drag/drop to somewhere else.

Nope

steelie34 wrote:
san4 wrote:
I know nothing about Vista, but is it possible to boot the computer into DOS with a startup disk and delete the file from DOS?
dos is actually no longer the framework the OS sits on. i remember the good old days when windows was built on DOS, and dos could be used for all sorts of useful tasks, but no more. now it's just the command prompt, and gives you the basic commands that can all run inside windows.

but, you do have a good idea here... gawwad could use a linux live cd, or other boot disk to load a CD-based OS, and then access the file system on his hard drive to delete the file. are you familiar with any of that gawwad?

Would something like running Ubuntu from a disk do the trick?

2009-03-11 19:15:35

#18

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6416|what

Gawwad wrote:
Would something like running Ubuntu from a disk do the trick?

It should. Nothing to lose if it doesn't work.

I was also going to suggest deleting it through the command prompt til I read you're using vista.

2009-03-11 19:19:41

#19

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|6786|...

try http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi … 96653.aspx see if there are any handles

2009-03-11 19:27:22

#20

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6416|what

In case you still can't delete it:

Unlocker is a very useful freeware that will allow you to unlock any files that are currently in use by Windows. You’ll know if this is happening if you are getting any of these messages when trying to delete a file:

* Cannot delete file: Access is denied
* There has been a sharing violation
* The source or destination file may be in use
* The file is in use by another program or user
* Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use

Unlocker will make things right again for you.

You’ll notice that right after installing the software, a new option named “unlocker” will appear when right clicking any files or folders in Windows Explorer. To unlock a locked file, just right click it, select unlocker, and the unlocker software will start. Then, click “unlock all” and close the software. Now that your file is unlocked, just delete it in Windows Explorer, as you always do.

Unlocker can be found here:

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

Or try using hijackthis (very good program) to delete it on next boot.

2009-03-12 05:28:56

#21

steelie34: pub hero!; +603|6645|the land of bourbon

he already tried unlocker, aussie... no luck.

yes gawwad, the ubuntu cd should work, as long as it will read your ntfs hard drive. i'm not sure if that takes any additional configuring, but once you do that, it will be able to delete the file.

2009-03-12 06:11:21

#22

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6416|what

steelie34 wrote:
he already tried unlocker, aussie... no luck.

ah, missed that.

BF2S Forums Stubborn file on desktop...

CapnNismo wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

Gawwad wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

Gawwad wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

san4 wrote:

liquidat0r wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

san4 wrote:

Gawwad wrote:

steelie34 wrote:

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