7

I installed Windows 7 over the top of XP and it left me with a Windows.old folder.

I tried to delete it, and it got rid of everything except two files named:

ЃϵϳЅЂϿϽϯІχϯπρϴϱЄϱЃϵϳЅ
ЃϵϳЅЂϿϽϯІχϯπρЂϻϵЉЃϵϳЅ

From what I see on Google this has happened to others before. Apparently nothing short of booting up with Linux will solve this?

Improve this question
2
  • What error do you get when trying to delete them?
    – Joseph
    Nov 30, 2009 at 7:28
  • 5
    They look like stargate addresses.
    – Cam Jackson
    Jun 28, 2011 at 0:15

7 Answers 7

Reset to default
6

It's unlikely you'll be able to remove it from Windows. I had few files of similar naming-style. Boot using a Linux live CD and you should be able to delete them.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    I just used this method back then. The only way. Tried using power shell, cmd, all failed.
    – Apache
    Apr 5, 2010 at 9:44
  • This worked for me.
    – KevinDeus
    Jul 6, 2011 at 17:30
10

Did you by any chance install any programs protected by SecuROM? I had a similar issue before and I managed to remove the file with the DelinvFile program. You can probably google for it, though it now seems that it's a commercial (paid) product.

EDIT: I just checked the webby. I think you can still download the software and give it a go. It seems like registration is for advanced features which you may not necessarily need, depending on the situation.

Improve this answer
2
  • By @tuncerx: Thanks Darkwoof. Darkwoof's solution works fine. The problem is because of the SecureROM thingy. After using DelInvFile app, I was able to delete the windows.old folder.
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 5, 2010 at 9:37
  • @Ivo Flipse: Most welcome! Glad to help since I was also stuck in a similar predicament.
    – Darkwoof
    Apr 12, 2010 at 3:39
5

Have you tried the command line? Open up the DOS prompt then navigate to the folder and try this command

del /F *

And see if it takes care of it.

Improve this answer
2
  • 13
    be sure to move any files you want to keep out of the folder first
    – quack quixote
    Nov 30, 2009 at 7:16
  • 1
    This didn't work when I had that problem.
    – Sasha Chedygov
    Jun 12, 2010 at 19:27
2

You could try the commandline. If the drive supports short filenames, you can use this to search and destroy. Of course, the drive could have other problems. You might want to run a chkdsk first.

X:\path\to\broken\files> dir /x

 Volume in drive X is somedrive
 Volume Serial Number is xxxx-xxxx

 Directory of X:\path\to\broken\files

11/29/2009  08:26 PM    <DIR>                       .
11/29/2009  08:26 PM    <DIR>                       ..
07/30/2007  09:30 PM             4,699 SOMFLN~1     broken-long-filename

                                       ^^^^^^^^
         short filename -----------------|||

X:\path\to\broken\files> del SOMFLN~1
Improve this answer
2

At first I thought it could be a process that still had a handle on the files but since they are in oldWindows this is unlikely. Still, worth checking it out, you can get Process Explorer to search for handles, copy paste the file name (F2 over the file to access the name). If there is a process using the file kill it and try to remove then.

Otherwise resort to Linux boot CD, it might be your only chance.

Best of luck.

Be sure to come back and tell us how you did get rid of them.

Improve this answer
1

Have you tried running chkdsk /R C:?

It's possible that these are just some corrupt files that didn't get copied completely, and Windows is still reading them as such.

Improve this answer
0

Use the Ultimate Windows Tweaker to take ownership of the files. This should work.

alt text

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .