can't delete a file

[EvanAdams]

I downloaded a .dat file and now I cant delete it.

I tried safe mode
I tried spybot and adaware
I tried MoveOnBoot

It is 1GB and MUST GO!!!

HELP!

 

[TheRyuu]

Is it being used by some running process?

 

[quackagator]

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

 

[BlackMountainCow]

Is that WinXP?

If yes, that's what I use in cases like that. But it'll only work if the file isn't in use by some obscure process.

:beer:

 

[BFG10K]

It might be a virus. Have you tried AV on it?

 

[xtknight]

First perform chkdsk on the affected drive (with the repair option).

If it still won't delete after that, then use a Windows PE bootable disc and delete it from there.

 

[ManBearPig]

i hate unlocker becuase it doesnt work w/o it being in the context menu WHENEVER you right click!

 

[Vad3r]

to bad no linux Live cd's can't add read & write. If it could be mounted with write access, linux would more then happy to delete it.
I did look it up, only read access can be had with Live CD's, so this doesn't help you.

Maybe you could try to rename it with a different file extension and then delete it (i.e. file.dat to file.jpg .tiff .pdf .doc....)

Also, have you tried in "dos prompt", goto to directory and "deltree file.dat"

note: deltree deletes things permanently

 

[EvanAdams]

Ok I tried all the above mentioned programs and they all failed.
- they say the file is in use. HOWEVER I'm not runing anything! Even in safe mode the damn thing wont go away!

I tried chkdsk /f on reboot and it found nothing.

I cant change the name as it is "in use"

Off to figure out how to make a windows "PE" boot disk.

 

[EvanAdams]

Originally posted by: wizboy11
Is it being used by some running process?

How do I figue out what process is using it?

Task manager has no aplications working.

Going to try Process Explorer

 

[EvanAdams]

Process Explorer did not help. It is not showing up.

 

[xtknight]

You have a rootkit then. Your only option is to delete the file with Windows PE or Win98 startup disk w/ SysInternals NTFSDOS driver.

From where did you download this "dat" file and what is it?

 

[GundamSonicZeroX]

have you checked the properties of your recycle bin?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Have you tried using another login to delete the file???? Or even make another login real quick, delete the file, and them remove the account that you created.

 

[biostud]

Have you tried to boot into the recovery console?
What are the attributes of the file?

 

[lyssword]

tried hardware/device manager and click on "system devices" see if the name is on there thats same as ur dat file, and try to disable it from ther

 

[sandorski]

If all else fails, Backup all necessities, Format partition.

 

[KAZANI]

This is the first time I learn of Unlocker not being able to deal with a pesky file. Did you try the option to delete on next startup?

 

[BFG10K]

From where did you download this "dat" file and what is it?

I think it's obvious that it's a section of a pirated program, probably a game.

 

[Nothinman]

I think it's obvious that it's a section of a pirated program, probably a game.

No, it's not obvious. Whenever I see .dat files they're usually a part of a VCD and that would make more sense since Explorer might have locked it while trying to thumbnail it.

 

[BFG10K]

Whenever I see .dat files they're usually a part of a VCD and that would make more sense since Explorer might have locked it while trying to thumbnail it.

Just because it has a .dat extension when it's downloaded that doesn't mean it's a .dat file.

 

[Nothinman]

Just because it has a .dat extension when it's downloaded that doesn't mean it's a .dat file.

And it doesn't mean it's a part of some pirated software either.

 

[BFG10K]

A downloaded 1 GB ".dat" file that behaves like a rootkit is far more likely to have something to do with warez rather than with a VCD.

The fact that you see .dat files with VCDs is quite irrelevant because a file extension can be anything it likes.

 

[Nothinman]

A downloaded 1 GB ".dat" file that behaves like a rootkit is far more likely to have something to do with warez rather than with a VCD.

It's more likely that the .dat file is an innocent bystander, it's not like you can easily run .dat files on Windows. And the .dat file isn't "acting like a rootkit", it's just undeletable which on Windows isn't exactly an uncommon phenomenon.

The fact that you see .dat files with VCDs is quite irrelevant because a file extension can be anything it likes.

The extension is irrelevant in almost all cases, your calling it a pirated piece of software was as much a guess as mine. But the extension has to be something that Windows will recognize in order for it to actually do anything. You can't just download a .dat file and double-click it, something else had to have happened.

 

[Markbnj]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

A downloaded 1 GB ".dat" file that behaves like a rootkit is far more likely to have something to do with warez rather than with a VCD.

It's more likely that the .dat file is an innocent bystander, it's not like you can easily run .dat files on Windows. And the .dat file isn't "acting like a rootkit", it's just undeletable which on Windows isn't exactly an uncommon phenomenon.

The fact that you see .dat files with VCDs is quite irrelevant because a file extension can be anything it likes.

The extension is irrelevant in almost all cases, your calling it a pirated piece of software was as much a guess as mine. But the extension has to be something that Windows will recognize in order for it to actually do anything. You can't just download a .dat file and double-click it, something else had to have happened.

Hmm, I just renamed a misc. file to .dat and double clicked it. Windows responded with a dialog saying "You are trying to run a .dat file. Thes files are used by Windows and other important programs.... " etc., and then it asked me to browse to a program if I really want to open it. So it appears my copy of XP, anyway, recognizes it as something. Iirc .dat used to be the extension commonly used for tab-delimited database files in older versions of Excel.

Anyway, I think both the assumption that it is a piece of a pirated game, and the assumption that there is a root kit involved, are premature. To OP, grab Rootkit Revealer from the Sysinternals website and run it just to be sure.