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Windows Missing Desktop File [solved]

Discussion in 'Tech Support' started by Pookeyhead, 13 Aug 2022.

  1. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I few weeks ago i deleted a file from my desktop, but for some reason it left an icon there. I can't delete it, as it says it cannot find the file (because I deleted it), and there's nothing I can do to remove it.
    Capture.JPG


    If I try and delete it Windows says it cannot find it on the desktop, but right clicking on the icon to view its properties, shows its location as the desktop. I need to get this icon off my desktop... driving my nuts. Any ideas?
    Thanks.
     
  2. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Tried booting into safe mode and deleting from there?
     
  3. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Update. I kind of fixed it by creating another Desktop folder, and telling windows that this is now the default Desktop location. However.... when I go to the old desktop folder in order to delete it, it now says THAT is no longer there... even though it clearly is... I can see it... I can open it. When I open it... that same missing file is there... laughing at me. 34523452345.JPG



    It's not refusing to delete the old Desktop folder because if this file inside it, it now says the entire desktop folder is not actually there.
    urtyurtyurtu.JPG
    So it seems that it thinks the whole desktop folder is not there when it is. Depite thinking this, until a few minutes ago, that folder was my working desktop folder with no issue... except one - that damned file I can't delete. I can still open it... I can save files to it. Despite this, when I come to delete it, Windows says it does not exist.


    Yes, that was the first thing I did. I still cannot delete it, or the old desktop folder in safe mode. I also tried deleting desktop.ini Windows refuses to interact with this file because it insists it cannot find it. In fact, it insists that the entire desktop folder is missing, even though I can save new files to it, and delete them from it... it's all something to do with that original missing file.
     
    Last edited: 13 Aug 2022
  4. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    Can you delete it from WSL? I know that works for creating and deleting reserved-name files like CON and NUL and LPT1 that Windows proper won't touch.
     
  5. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Not tried that, no. Will give it a go later and let you know how I get on.
     
  6. noizdaemon666

    noizdaemon666 I'm Od, Therefore I Pwn

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    Have you run a chkdsk? It might be part of the file system records which are causing the issue.
     
  7. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    chkdsk showed nothing wrong. I think I just need to boot into another OS, or a USB drive and delete from a command prompt or something similar as suggested above, as nothing I do in windows seems to work.
     
  8. wolfticket

    wolfticket Downwind from the bloodhounds

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  9. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    This is a win 95 fix, but...
    Can you save a new version of the file with the same name and replace the bad one?
     
  10. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Even booting from another bootable disk and using a command prompt, it still can't "find" that file.
    20220814_125731.jpg
     
  11. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Can't fix it. so going nuclear. Copying all files except that old desktop file to another hard drive, then formatting the original drive, then moving then all back and creating a new desktop folder. A pain in the ass, but at least it should work. Will take hours though. Thanks for trying to help anyway.
     
  12. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I fixed it the brute force way, but just to let you know that I tried that, and as expected, it asked me if I wanted to replace the original file, then says can't find original file... LOL
     
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  13. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Glad it's sorted even if a hassle.

    Windows does like to randomly go "mmmk, I'll just annoy you now with something random for no logical reason".
     
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  14. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    Now that I think about it, my fix only worked in XTreeGold. :lol:
     
  15. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

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    XTG was my jam. Twin-pane browsing in MS-DOS 3.30A on my Schneider Euro-PC II? Yes please. Would have taken me ages to find files on my massive 20MB sidecar otherwise...
     
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  16. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Nobody likes a showoff. :p
     
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