Help with a VERY annoying problem

pretty please....

By Kodiak888 on September 20, 2009 2:36:05 PM from

So my brother and I play jokes on eachother all of the time. No big deal, but this last time, he put file on my desktop named "File That You Can't Delete.haha "

I'm not sure if the website formatting will show it, but there is a mystery extra space at the end of the .haha file extension. It's annoying, and I can't delete, copy, paste, cut, move, rename, or otherwise do anything to it. If I try to rename it, it puts me into a loop, because my PC won't accept the old name (copy and pasted) because it won't allow me to paste that mystery space. If select rename, copy, and then paste that name onto a new file, it drops the mystery space and the file extension is just ".haha", which is an unknown file type that I can delete (the new file, not the old one)

Things I have tried, that have not worked

- delete it in safe mode

- tried to delete it from the command prompt

- use an unlocker program and delete it

- delete it from the command prompt, after shutting down the explorer.exe

Help please.

+10 Karma | 63 Replies

end the explorer.exe process and then delete it from teh command line. mind, you will need to start an elevated cmd prompt before terminating explorer. restart explorer after you delete it.

That didn't work either, but thank you for trying. it says "C:\could not find File That You Can't Delete.haha "

I am 110% sure that it is typed correctly, as I've tried multiple times, and even using the tab in the command promp to automatically bring up the file name, so that's not the issue.

You could always ask you brother how to fix it.

Quoting Philly0381,

reply 3

You could always ask you brother how to fix it.

I already tried that. After the expected ridicule, he said he had no clue. It's just something he found that he thought he would do to me. And he honestly doesn't know, it's not just to prolong to torment, not that he feels bad either.

If unable to unlock unlocker, it is very similar to the virus,

CureIt! v5 - (Virus scanner
After a quick check, run the sample and select drive C

Download here > http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://freedrweb.com/

Go to the site where your brother found it and see if there is a fix identified. It should tell how to reverse it if it's a legit site.

Quoting Philly0381,

reply 6

It should tell how to reverse it if it's a legit site.

Also a no-go, it was on a zip drive, and given to him from a friend on base who got it from a friend, etc. I've also searched for the site, and haven't been able to find one. I've found lots of "fixes" while searching, but so far 0% of them work.

Quoting borsovborsov,

reply 5

If unable to unlock unlocker, it is very similar to the virus,
CureIt! v5 - (Virus scanner
After a quick check, run the sample and select drive C
Download here > http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://freedrweb.com/

I have nod32 and malwarebyte's anti-malware, niether report any virus or suspicious. What is different about this one?

- I'm downloading it now, I'm not meaning to sound rude, but I don't want to download 100 things on my computer only to find out that they all don't work.

I've seen that some where.... looking...

Philly0381 - You can try to really try to start System Restore, ( BUT... It helps if there are problems in the registry, but then would have worked unlocker

Bichur Hi, but when you sleep, damn ..

(* I'm going to a smoke ..

Have a look at http://ask-leo.com/why_cant_i_delete_this_file.html Hope it helps you.

Quoting borsovborsov,

reply 9

Philly0381 - You can try to really try to start System Restore, ( BUT... It helps if there are problems in the registry, but then would have worked unlocker

A system restore means I loose everything since then, and to be honest, it's been hidden on my computer for awhile. It was a very tiny icon, hidden underneath my dock. It's very clever, but once noticed, very annoying.

Kodiak888, I've used System Restore and have never lost any files, but if you don't feel safe doing it don't do it.

You would also need to know when your brother did his thing to your computer to know what date to restore to.

still looking....

it's different cuz it's not malware, it's a prank - like "Clippy"

I'm thinking it can be found at rjlsoftware, but not sure and TrendMicro doesn't want me to go there...

still looking

try the either the symantec or trendmicro free home scan - one of them picks up joke files

A few things for you to try:

1. right click the file
click "open with"
select "notepad"
windows will tell you the file does not exist and ask if you would like to create it.
say yes...
a page will open in notepad, type anything anywhere and save it
then right click and it will let you delete it

2. Login under a different user name.
Copy the the contents of the desktop folder with the erroneous file( do not attempt to copy the erroneous file) to a temporary directory
Open cmd prompt
Go to the problem user files and use the command "rm /s Desktop"
Create a Folder called "Desktop"
Copy all the files in the temporary directory back into the new desktop folder
Logout
Login as new user

3. Download this little program which apparently works really well with this kind of thing: http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm

If you are THAT annoyed and can't find a single solution, kill your brother and format

Nah, just tell him that you gonna format the PC and gonna lose all data, including his and he will panic and... gonna fix it. Or format it.

I remember a few out there.... try clicking in the top left pixel of your screen

still can't get to the other sites without turning of TMicro....

Google found only this : < www.spywareremove.com/removebathahabat.html >

Quoting BoXXi,

reply 14

A few things for you to try:
Download this little program which apparently works really well with this kind of thing: http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm

This worked!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you! For those wondering about the "trial" program, it gives you 3 free deletions or somesuch, so it's enough to delete one or two annoying problems.

This thread can now be focused on ideas for payback against him. 8)

Naah...Now password protect your computer, and avoid him logging on at all.

Quoting DrJBHL,

reply 19

Naah...Now password protect your computer, and avoid him logging on at all.

What?! PW protect his comp and move on? That sir(or ma'am) is no way to respond to a prank. Vengance must be taken, revenge had, and victory relsihed.

This thread can now be focused on ideas for payback against him

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold. I hope you find something suitable. (like changing all his files into another language.)

What?! PW protect his comp and move on? That sir(or ma'am) is no way to respond to a prank. Vengance must be taken, revenge had, and victory relsihed.

I'm with Myles on this.

After you should maybe PW protect it.

he probably used icacls (vista) or cacls (xp) to remove your ownership and deletion/move rights etc.

Quoting Kodiak888,

reply 18

This thread can now be focused on ideas for payback against him. 8)

Use something like TrueCrypt on his machine and encrypt all his files/partitions/whatever you feel like.

Yay! I win.......!! Thank you, Thank you, it was nothing...... I would like to thank my parents, God etc etc....... LOL

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Help with a VERY annoying problem

pretty please....