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undeleable file on desktop

  • 6 replies
  • 6 have this problem
  • 21 views
  • Last reply by TechHorse

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I have a file that appeared on my desktop that cannot be deleted. The file name looks like the first couple of book marks on my Firefox browser:

Octoprint https __www.foxnews.com_ Fox News https __www.amazon.com_ Amazon https __www.logos.com_ Logos https __www.youtube.com_ YouTube https __www.udemy.com_ Udemy https __www.tinkercad.com_dashboard Tinkercad https __app.mondly.com_home Mondly http

I have tried several times to delete the file but it cannot be deleted.

I have a file that appeared on my desktop that cannot be deleted. The file name looks like the first couple of book marks on my Firefox browser: Octoprint https __www.foxnews.com_ Fox News https __www.amazon.com_ Amazon https __www.logos.com_ Logos https __www.youtube.com_ YouTube https __www.udemy.com_ Udemy https __www.tinkercad.com_dashboard Tinkercad https __app.mondly.com_home Mondly http I have tried several times to delete the file but it cannot be deleted.

All Replies (6)

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If you have a file on your desktop that cannot be deleted and has a name similar to the first few bookmarks on your Firefox browser, it's possible that the file is related to your browser or a browser extension. Here are some steps you can try to delete the file:

Close Firefox and try deleting the file again - if the file is related to Firefox, it may be in use by the browser or an extension. Closing Firefox may release the file and allow you to delete it.

Use Safe Mode to delete the file - if the file is still unable to be deleted, try booting your computer in Safe Mode and then attempting to delete the file. Safe Mode starts your computer with only the essential services and drivers, which can help isolate and resolve issues with the file.

Use a third-party file unlocker utility - there are many third-party utilities available that can help you unlock and delete stubborn files. Some popular options include Unlocker, FileASSASSIN, and IOBit Unlocker.

Use Command Prompt to delete the file - you can use Command Prompt to force-delete the file. Open Command Prompt as an administrator, navigate to the folder containing the file, and then type the command "del [filename]" (without quotes) to delete the file.

If none of these steps work, it's possible that the file is malware or a virus that is preventing deletion. In this case, you should run a full virus scan on your computer using reputable antivirus software to identify and remove any potential threats.

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Here are the steps that I have tried: 1. Closed Firefox and tried to delete or rename the file. Unsuccessful. 2. Booted in Safe mode and tried to delete or rename the file. Unsuccessful 3. Installed FileAssassin. Browsed and selected the file but when trying to execute the programs said that the file did not exist. (See the attached screenshot) 4. Used the Command Line (Administrator). File shows on dir command but says the file does not exist when i try to delete it. 5. Ran a full malware and virus scan but it found not viruses or malware. 6. Ran a full disk scan but it found no problems

Would uninstalling Firefox release the file?

Any suggestions?

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Are you able to move the file? Or rename it via a Command Prompt?

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I can drag it around the desktop but I cannot move it into any folder or rename it from the GUI or the Command line.

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Just to see if Firefox has a lock on the file, I changed the order of the bookmarks but the file name stays the same do I don't think it is getting any updates.

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Have you tried checking if Windows or some other application has a lock / handle on the file, by using Resource Monitor for example?

Although to be honest, I would suspect that the issue is that Windows cannot handle that filename?

Another possibility might be to use a dir command in a Command Prompt to find out the filepath in 8.3 / short name format, and then try to use a del command with this short format. By filepath I mean the directory + the filename.