How to delete a 3 dot extension and why?

[Chad Harris]

I did not post this in 3 places to be rude or waste time; I posted to get
the best answer to a puzzling problem from the sources I ID as the best
groups; and if someone is perhaps not happy then in a friendly pleasant way
please "bring it" 'cause I can take cyberheat in an effort to learn.

I'm on an XPSP2 box but it's not my problem but it got bandied about on one
of the MSFT chat formats and without a good answer. I suspect many of the
knowledgable Word regulars or people like David Candy on the XP groups
will be able to knock this out of the park.

The question is how to delete a folder whose extension has three dots. When
the individual tried to delete it, he got the file is in use box. I
suggested the following and the person did not try any of them fully but
finally got it deleted using: Purge IE
http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm

I suspect Purge IE could use methods in common with something below but I'm
not sure. It was the only one I know that was tried.

I suggested:
1) Reboot
2) Boot into Safe Mode and Delete it from Windows Explorer which rightly or
wrongly I believed would enhance chances of a Safe Mode Delete, Does Windows
Explorer enhance deletions? It's worked for me on occassion.
3) I suggested Doug Knox's Delete an Undeletable File and the individual
wouldn't try it because he said it would not work on a "Win 32 System." I
took this term to mean a 32 bit Windows and did not understand the
objection. Someone correct me if I misconstrued the term please.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm
4) I suggested this MSKB:
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=320081#XSLTH3195121122120121120120
5) Finally could Doug's method and the Purge IE method and the KB be any of
the same methods?

Also I found the reading a little tough and wondered about Part 6 in the KB.

TIA,

Chad Harris

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Chad - From my Blog, addy in Sig, below. (I suspect you'd want to use
Delete Invalid File for this particular situation):


"Sometimes the tools below will find files which they are unable to delete
because they are in use.

A program called Copylock, here, http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=misc can
aid in the process of "replacing, moving, renaming or deleting one or many
files which are currently in use (e.g. system files like comctl32.dll, or
virus/trojan files.)"

Another is Killbox, here: http://www.downloads.subratam.org/KillBox.zip

A third which is a bit different but often very useful is Delete Invalid
File, here: http://www.purgeie.com/delinv.htm which handles invalid/UNC
file/folder name deleting, rather than the in use problem.

A fourth useful program is Unlocker, here:
..http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ " Simply right click the folder or file
and select Unlocker. If the folder or file is locked, a window listing of
lockers will appear. Simply select the lockers and click Unlock and you are
done!" Works as advertised and is particularly helpful in identifying
malware components which are 'protecting' each other."

 

[Chad Harris]

Jim--

I feel fortunate to get such a complete post in such rapid fire time and I
will explore and save every link of course and look forward to using your
site and its resources. But Jim, invalid file or not, do you know how to ID
where the folder with the ... extension comes from. I don't know much
about ASCI II and quite honestly I read a lot of science jargon and have for
years but I found the KB terminology pretty tough going. I think you can
understand how that might have been and I read a lot of MSKBs in helping
some on groups and chats.

Jim do you know what the 3 dotter was or if there are thousands of
permutations and combinations of invalid files, set me straight. Maybe it
has no name.

Also I might add of course I suggested system restore but the guy shot back
he didn't like it. I find in my travels the most common system restore
delusion is that it impacts documents or that it will throw away a gamut of
things it doesn't. I collect articles on it including those from the MSFT
SR teams and in my experience it does not lose even the shortcuts and
hotfixes since the last restore point that it advertises. Of course in rare
cases, I'm sure system restore could lose everything, and I am reminded
with a smile of this new halarious long treastise from Mr. Ballmer's legal
team now appearing in some KBs at the bottom like this one:

RAM, Virtual Memory, Pagefile and all that stuff
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555223

LOL this reminds me of all the direct advertisingTV commercial formats for
prescription meds where the poor perspective patient hears a small sound
bite about drug x only to be quickly deluged with an unending list of all
the PDR's side effects in a big multicenter study. The commercials border
somewhere in my mind between surreal and totally absurd.

If you can fill me in on the 3 dot or Part 6 of this MSKB applying, please
let me know.

The KB I meant for Part 6 was:

You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=320081#XSLTH3195121122120121120120

Thanks again very much for the excellent links JIm I would not have found
on my own.

Best,

Chad Harris
___________________________________________________

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

FWIW, I suspect most of your answers will come from
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general, since this doesn't seem to be a problem
related to Word at all, much less formatting long documents, regardless of
whether or not you are a new Word user.

 

[Chad Harris]

Suzanne--sorry--I had no idea what produced the 3 dot extension for this
individual, and the long docs choice must seem puzzling to say the least,
and the more I read I wonder if spyware or even something on the order or
virus, womr, blended threat could cause this, and it may mean that if it was
not a valid file there could be a large number of causes. Part of the key
must be in why one program could remove it and others couldn't but without
some testing,you couldn't be sure.

Best,

Chad Harris.

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Chad - Sorry, I've no idea right off hand as to the source of your errant
object (I'm not even sure from your description that this is a legitimate
folder, BTW - I suspect you may have meant file.), and AFAIK, there can be
no such legal extension. It would appear to be an illegal name, since,
while .'s are permissible characters (even more than one are legal in an
extension - see http://www.file-ext.com/character.html), it isn't legal to
terminate with one or more of them. From KB 320081 section 6 that you
referred to:

"You may not be able to delete a file if the file name includes an invalid
name (for example, the file name has a trailing space or a trailing period
or the file name is made up of a space only)."


And yes, there are thousands of permutations of illegal names.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

The question is how to delete a folder whose extension has
three
dots. When the individual tried to delete it, he got the file
is in
use box.

Almost certainly, the extension is *not* three dots. You're just
seeing part of the name, and the three dots is an ellipsis,
telling you there is more. Using My Computer or Windows Explorer,
navigate to the folder containing the file. Then move your mouse
to the line above the list of files, the line that contains the
headings like "Name," "File Type," and "Date Created."

Put your mouse cursor on the divider line that separates the
"Name" heading from the heading to its right and drag that bar to
the right. That will expand the size of the name field and permit
you to see the full name.

If he was unable to delete it, it was probably simply that the
file was in use.

 

[Chad Harris]

Ken thanks much. This clears it up and I appreciate it and the respnoses and
the links. Sorry Suzanne--will get you a word question the next time for
sure. Jim Byrd your links will come in handy for a lot of people and I
enjoy your site.

Best Chad

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Ken thanks much. This clears it up and I appreciate it and the

You're welcome, Chad. Glad to help.

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Chad - Glad you found it useful.

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Chad Harris shared this with us in microsoft.public.word.newusers:

Ken thanks much. This clears it up and I appreciate it and the
respnoses and the links. Sorry Suzanne--will get you a word
question the next time for sure. Jim Byrd your links will come in
handy for a lot of people and I enjoy your site.

Best Chad

Chad,

Next time, use the Followup header. It is there for a purpose. ;-)

NOTICE: Followup set to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general