Removing file with strange characters in filename in OS X

Question

After a memory error in my program, I am stuck with a file with a strange filename. It's proving quite resistant to all normal methods to remove files with strange names.

The filename is:

%8BUȅ҉%95d%F8%FF%FF\x0f%8E%8F%FD%FF%FF%8B%B5T%F8%FF%FF%8B%85\%F8%FF%FF\x03%85x%F8%FF%FF%8B%95D%F8%FF%FF%8B%BD%9C%F8%FF%FF%8D\x04%86%8B%B5@%F8%FF%FF%89%85%90%F8%FF%FF%8B%85X%F8%FF%FF\x03%85%9C%F8%FF%FF%C1%E7\x02%8B%8Dx

I tried the following:

• rm * -> "No such file or directory"
• rm -- filename -> "No such file or directory"
• rm "filename" -> "No such file or directory"
• ls -i to get the inode number -> "No such file or directory"
• stat filename -> "No such file or directory"
• zip the directory where the file is in -> error occured while adding "" to the archive.
• delete directory in finder -> error -43
• in python: os.unlink(os.listdir(u'.')[0]) -> OSError No such file or directory
• find . -type f -exec rm {} \; -> "No such file or directory"
• checked for locks on the file with lsof -> no locks

All these attempts result in a file (long filename here) not found error, or error -43. Even the ls -i.

I couldn't find anymore options, so before reformatting or repairing my filesystem (fsck might help) I thought maybe there is something I missed.

I wrote this small c program to get the inode:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stddef.h>
#include <sys/types.h>

int main(void) 
{
  DIR *dp;
  struct dirent *ep;

  dp = opendir ("./");
  if (dp != NULL)
    {
      while (ep = readdir (dp)) {
    printf("d_ino=%ld, ", (unsigned long) ep->d_ino);
    printf("d_name=%s.\n", ep->d_name);
      }
      (void) closedir (dp);
    }
  else
    perror ("Couldn't open the directory");

  return 0;
}

That works. I now have the inode, but the normal find -inum inode -exec rm '{}' \; doesn't work. I think I have to use the clri now.

Answer 1

Try

find . -type f -exec rm {} \;

Have you tried deleting the parent directory?

Answer 2

I usually open the enclosing folder in emacs dired mode, and then mark and delete.

Answer 3

Can you rename the file in Finder and then remove?

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2039