rogue file refuses to be deleted

He's ridiculing your lack of knowledge, but he's doing it incorrectly. He meant Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair (PEBKAC), meaning that you were the problem, but he erroneously wrote PEBKAM (Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Monitor), which has no relevance. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEBKAC) Nice irony!

It will always show as a Winamp Media File because that's the registered application for avi or whatever the file's extension is. But the Name column should now show both the name and extension.

 

Nope. Meant PEBKAM. Seeing as the chair is not a part of the computer, unlike the external interface between the keyboard (input) and monitor (output). Think it fits seeing as this thread is on it's 6th page now trying to delete a single file.

 

Guess I missed the rule that components of the acronym had to be a part of the computer. I was misled by the actuality that the user is what's between the keyboard and the chair while the only thing between the keyboard and the monitor is the CPU. But silly me! I was foolishly trying to help Phillip with his problem instead of ridiculing him for what he didn't know. You'll have to excuse me - I only have 28 posts and don't know how it works yet.

 

So, it's been a while since I last used DOS and forgot more than i though, It must me obivuous by now.
anyways, it's still only showning the Name of the file, no extension, and I've tried what you said three times now, still can't see it.

My only conclusion is that reason for it not cooperating is the fact that this file is tecnically a fragment since it never finished DLing.

anyways, if you feel that my knowledge it too inferior then you could always not post and laugh at your computer screen.

 

I don't think that's the explanation. The fact that Windows thinks it's a Winamp file suggests that Windows can see the extension. Try bringing up a DOS prompt and navigating to the containing folder and issuing a dir command. That will show the extension.
It sounds as if you might have a file-sharing program running in the background. You may be able to see it (and end it) by bringing up Task Manager with CRTL-ALT-DEL.

 

Depends on which route you take. How does data get from the monitor (the computer's output device) to the keyboard (its input device)? Simple, it goes through the user, who indeed sits between keyboard and monitor.

Or to put it another way. The monitor displays a dialog asking you to hit enter. If the user doesn't sit between monitor and keyboard, then why does the enter key get pressed down after a moment?

 

to refresh my memory, to use a dir commnand, I should type <DIR><Documents and Settings>?
its been so long and I can't remember where to use ><, \, and : so help in this matter would be useful.

when I tried to navagate using the path I typed above it gave me <was unexpected at this time.

what did I do wrong?

 

You're absolutely right, Jalf. Although the user isn't between the keyboard and monitor either physically or electrically, you could certainly take the view that he's between them informationally. I was just irritated by WackyT smugly pointing his finger at Phillip while offering him no help. So I checked out my understanding of PEBKAC with Wikipedia, which confirmed it, and made the post.
Nice-looking avatar, by the way.

Phillip: You need to find an acquaintance familiar with DOS who can help you try these things.

 

they are all ~100+ miles away, and I have no way of contacting them.

thanks for all the help.

I guess If I can't get it deleted in ~3weeks I'll just reformat.
My HD needs it anyways

BTW, I confirmed that it's a .avi file, it finnaly should up in DOS, that is to say, I figured out how to find it with some outside help.

Phillip

 

I sought help from other forum members and this one actually told me exactly what to do, not just bits and pieces.

long story short, I deleted the bad file.

BOOYAH!

 

Do tell..
On occasion if I can't delete a file, creating a file (in another folder) with the exact same name then copying it to the folder where the problem file is and when it asks if I want to replace it I select yes. Then I am able to delete it. If it was previously posted i missed it somehow..

 

I simply went to My Documents through the DOS shell in XP and typed del "bad file" and them hit enter.

 

....bootin' linspire....i tried to write on M entalS side of the great divide....can only read and capture files/folders/apps from the X -x iz right-P ...grand poo-pah.....the ole mighty one has a 20+ gig folder in it, that shuts down any program that's used to open it....yea itz gotz moveez and muzik in it......thatz y itz 20+......linspire kan't figure out y this [edit]....folder won't open up....least it duznit shut down linux Colonel.......yes sir.........

 

and what mightI ask was the purpose of that post there Demolition?

 

Probably a SPAMMER or a little kid or a mental patient.

 

I'd say spammer too. Saw the same message in another thread.

 

Just seen this thread. In XP these files are nearly always locked by explorer trying to make a thumbnail with an incomplete file or one with corrupt tag data. This method works and I can't believe nobody suggested it. I was using this method back when XP first came out.

1. Open task manager, go to processes and end explorer process
2. Click start new task and change selection to all files
3. Browse for the rogue file
4. highlight the file and delete
5. Go to windows folder and restart explorer

These days I use unlocker, but I haven't experienced the same problems in Vista. Don't forget XP was crap when it came out too.

 

It means...

Trying to boot a laptop... maybe an inspiron, tried to write a file but a certain folder is set to read only (xp informs him). Can't open the contents with any application as it just gets shut down, it's got films and music so that's why it's 20Gb. Can't figure out why this is, at least it doesn't crash Linux.

I think...which makes little sense anway.

 

well, I prefer the DOS approach but that's just me.
though I might try some of the other suggestions should, in the unlikely event, I decide to get another .avi file in the way I got the rogue file.

 

I'd like to set some ground rules for all post to follow this one
1) if you find my to be an incompetant computer user who is only fooling himself then please refrain from posting, instead just point at your monitor and laugh
2) I am only asking for help with deleteing this "New" "rougue file" by way of command line prompt through the DOS shell in WinXP therefore I would appreciate all post to be aimed at deleting the file in this manner

so, I apparrently didn't learn my lesson because I have a similar rogue file that refuses to be deleted

I went into the DOS shell and typed:
del "C:\Documents and Settings\9999\My Documents\Documents\Downloads\badfile"

it reported back that the file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.

did I type it wrong? should I try something else?

Please help, thanks in advance.

Fry

 

hmmm, should I put .avi at the end of badfile making it badfile.avi?