Cannot delete corrupted directory

[cmf21]

Somehow I created a second directory for Cacheman. Both directories now have garbage for file names. I cannot delete any of the directories using either the DOS delete command, Windows delete, or repair it with the "fix disk" feature in Fix-It 99. A friend says the FAT is probably corrupted and if I try to repair the problem I could crash my system.

I followed the recommended suggestions in Windows and changed the file name before performing scandisk. It only created another unremovable directory.

Any suggestions??? Two previous responses I received were of no help. :disgust:

 

[azeeb]

Delete this programs files from your disk

Then proceed to spend the next week backing up any important files

Say game saves, word documents, export mails account bookmarks - etc, why a week cos that how long it takes to remember whats on your disk, invariably you will forget about files. A CD-writer is good for this or a 2nd drive.

Then run Scandisk in DOS and then in windows and see if that fixes it - you're mate is right you could goose you FAT but if you're not using you're PC for anything serious (work,uni ...) then with the holidays you've got plenty of time to re-install windows 🙂

I know there is another way of fixing this but can't remember at the moment

have you tried to rename them in windows/dos
for Dos the command is 'ren oldfilename newfilename'

I hope this is of some help

 

[medic]

Have you tried writing down the exact names then restarting the computer in MSDOS Mode and run a:
deltree ******
* = folder name

Uninstall Fix-it first?

 

[andrey]

How about good old Scandisk ? Have you tried that ?

 

[miniMUNCH]

Uh ya...delete um from DOS.

 

[XeonTux]

I'm not exactly sure what your problem is, if your fat is fried this wont work

You said the directories had garbage filenames. Windows is bad at doing anything with a directory that has funky characters in it. (at least 95 was) and it can be difficult to guess exactly what characters are in the name in DOS too, 'cause some like ASCII#255 won't show up.

to prove my theory drop to the console and type "mkdir abc" then hold [alt] and type "255" which will appear as a space. Try to access it in windows. No luck, eh? and how would you guess there was a 255 in there? (BTW, this technique can be used to hide directories from clueless folks too.)

Anyways, maybe, just maybe, you can still delete these directories.

From your dos prompt run "debug" (I know it sucks, use something better if you can) and find the location of the FAT and list it out. I don't know where to find it but you should be able to read it in there somewhere along with all the HEX values in the filenames. This could be like finding a needle in a haystack unless you do some research first.

Convert these HEX values to decimal and type them in at the DOS prompt as parameters to DEL by holding [alt] and typing the number.

Oh yeah, you MUST type the number of the code on your NUMERIC KEYPAD!

You might have to do this outside of windows all together, I don't know. I haven't used debug for I don't know how many years. Heh, I used to have fun changing the error messages in command.com when I was a kid.

Like I said though, I don't know why your filenames are fscked up. Maybe this will work for you, maybe it won't. Maybe if it does you will still run into problems later, I don't know.

Just my two cents.

Good luck

 

[cmf21]

SCANDISK HANGS AND ADVISES TO RENAME THE DIRECTORY THEN TRY AGAIN. ALL THAT DID WAS CREATE ANOTHER DIRECTORY THAT I CAN'T ERASE.

 

[cmf21]

CANNOT DELETE FROM DOS!!!

 

[XeonTux]

ALL THAT DID WAS CREATE ANOTHER DIRECTORY THAT I CAN'T ERASE

CANNOT DELETE FROM DOS!!!

you mean the "mkdir abc"+[alt]+255 ? That was meant to show how directory names can have characters that windows cant see. To delete it follow the same steps but with the "del" command instead of "mkdir"


Now as far as getting rid of the garbage-named directories you have, did you use "debug" or another util to see the values of each character in the names? It doesn't sound like you really read my post.

Honestly, I think your only options are to 1) reformat and reinstall windows, or 2) try this. Personally I would try this because I hate giving up and reinstalling.

Try to find out WHERE you can find the FAT when listing in debug, and you will save alot of time vs. listing everything until you find it. I do remember coming across the FAT using debug when I was younger, but then the computer only had 640k and 360k disks, which was alot less to parse thru. Or perhaps someone here knows a better utility that will list all the HEX or decimal codes for each character in the filenames. You might even try writing a prog to do this too - would be easy with quikbasic if that still comes with microsoft OS's. Maybe even an old util like dosshell or xtree wouldn't be fscked up by these characters and you can delete them by clicking, which would be way easier. It's also possible that if the filenames contain characters like the CR you won't be able to enter them on the command line.

Do you understand the concept of what I am trying to suggest?

And let me confirm this: you said you had garbage filenames - by this you mean non-alphanumeric (a..z,0..9) characters right?

 

[XeonTux]

It's also come to my attention that maybe people don't learn this nowadays: By holding [alt] while typing the decimal ASCII value for a character on the numeric keypad, the computer will insert this character into whatever input field you are in...in dos. People used this all the time in the good ol days to do text-mode drawing. Like 219, 220, 221 were blocks; and there were tons of line drawing chars as well. I used to know many by heart.

 

[bigjon]

go into DOS and CD to the folder that contains the bad folder. Now type

deltree *.*

It will ask you for verification before deleting each folder - say NO to the folders you want to keep and say YES to the bad folder when it appears.