File Deletion/Location Error Bug Solution

[genghisquan]

I downloaded a couple of ornamental fonts and wanted to delete 'em after I checked 'em out. Almost all of them deleted just fine except for just two files. I kept getting error messages along the lines of "File can't be located" or "File doesn't exist". The files had no extensions (e.g, "char.")and were "0 bytes", so that was the problem. I've had similar deletion issues in the past with various versions of Windows, but this one kicked my ass because none of the usual tricks worked. Everything I tried spat back the same errors. Here were some things that I tried & failed (not in this exact order):

1. hit Refresh
2. TURNED MY COMPUTER OFF AND ON AGAIN (DUH! LMAO)
3. delete the whole folder instead of just the files
4. changed file extension
5. changed file names
6. cleared explorer/other system cache
7. used SUPERDelete tool from SUPERAntiSpyware
8. checked running processes/services to see if they were related to font files
9. booted into Safe Mode to delete
10. run cmd (admin) to use del *.*
11. ended the "explorer.exe" task and then tried del *.*

THE COMMAND THAT ENDED UP WORKING WAS del *

I suspect that since the files had a period but no file extension name at the end, the original del *.* didn't run properly.

Anyway, the files deleted successfully, BUT the folders would not!

I had to work backwards up the folder tree and delete folder by folder until I got to the parent folder.

 

I hope that someone finds this helpful if they ever run into such a freak problem!