Could not find this item

[Tim]

I'm trying to delete a folder that contained a wmv file... I deleted the
file and the folder's empty but when I try to remove the folder I get the
following error:

"Could not find this item... This is no longer located in C:\users....
Verify the item's location and try again."

The folder shows up in search and of course it appears where it was
originally placed... I did a reboot and chkdsk...

Any way to get rid of the folder ?

[brink]

You can try to take ownership of the folder first, then try to delete
it. This tutorial will show you how.

Thanks but no joy... the command line option just fails and through
explorer, the security tab on the properties dialog says with a nice red X:

"The requested security information is either unavailable or can't be
displayed."

Have you checked into Dean Dean's idea?

Recently I faced the same problem and I was wondering if you are still
unable to delete the folder. I finally succeeded in deleting the folders by
opening a command prompt, then used the dir /x command to get the 8.3 name of
the directory and then used the rd command with the 8.3 name of the
undeletable folder and it vanished!

[R. C. White]

You DID run the Command Prompt *as Administrator*, didn't you? See Brink's
instruction 3 on that page.

Thanks... yes and the command line comes back with the error: "invalid or
cannot find"... it's like it's not there... except that it is

Then it may be time to bring out the super-finder:

In the Administrator:Command Prompt:
dir c:\*.wmv /s/a

If it's a big drive with lots of files, you may have time for a cup of
coffee, but if it's there, this should find it.

And, once you know the name of the folder, browse to its parent and use
Remove Directory (rmdir or just rd) with the /s switch to remove the entire
directory tree, including all subfolders and files:
rd <foldername> /s

It will ask if you're sure; say yes. Should only take a second.

In Windows Media Player > Tools > Options, on the Rip Music tab, is that
folder the location given for "Rip music to this location"? If so, can you
change the location?

[Tim]

the folder shows up with the dir command but it
WILL not allow me to remove it... so i tried putting a few files in there
and it created a NEW directory with the same file name... so then there were
two...both empty... i deleted the one of them and now the folder's
displaying with the files i copied into it... which of course... cannot be
deleted... same errors... it's not there... back in the old days i used
norton to fix crap like this directly on the disk... any other ideas ??

[Jamesinator5]

I spent an hour searching for the solution to this problem and your dir /x method worked!

This Worked For Me!

1) Open up Command Prompt (CMD)
2)type in cd then the location of the file (in my case
c:\users\james\desktop)
3)type in dir /x
4)Next to the file you want to delete it will say the files 8.3 name
(ex. FILENA~1)
5)type del then the files 8.3 name (ex. FILENA~1)

After trying eraser, CMD
prompt and jumping through all sorts of hoops, this worked.

Thx a lot for this simple solution! It worked! I couldn't believe that after I installed several utilities, the solution was using the old DOS command.

[fndwggn]

When I try to delete the file name, in my case: me2010.jpg, through the command prompt, the prompt returns: could not find file. I can see it using dir:
users\fndwggn\Destop\me2010.jpg
but cant delete it! the file is listed as containing 0 bites
When im on the desktop dir, i type: del me2010.jpg? or is my syntax wrong?

[Lizardtheinsane]

I was having the same trouble as you fndwggn. Like you I'm reading about everyone's success with jealousy in my heart. :) Here's the mistake I was making and I'll bet you are too....

When you do the dir /x option to get the short name, then type DEL (File name.) Look CLOSELY at the short file name. there's probably a tilde (~) symbol in there. MAKE SURE YOU ENTER THE ~ SYMBOL (Hold Shift.) AND NOT THE ` SYMBOL. (Not Holing Shift.) Make sure you're holding Shift when you hit the ~ key. I kept making the same mistake over and over. I was looking at it and re-reading it and I could have sworn I had it right but I had a ` symbol instead of the ~. Once I corrected this I was able to delete the file using the dir /x method.