[jbljohn]

Operating system XP service pack 3. I have an external hard drive that I have my music stored on that has a file in a folder that I am unable to delete. The file has a name with several squares in it an Omega sign and a capital H. I can not change the file or folder name. When trying to delete I get the message "File name Directory name volume label syntax incorrect" and Cannot read.

How can I delete this file and folder?

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

Try do delete the file using the Command Prompt.
- click Start->Run->cmd
- change to the drive corresponding to the external drive and to the folder with the file you want to delete

cd /d "e:\name of the folder"

- use the comand dir to list the files names using short names

dir /A /X

the short file name will have something like ~1 at the end

- then use the del command to delete the file using the name you find using the dir command

del /A /F filena~1

Please post the result.

[jbljohn]

I'm having difficulty executing your instructions. The folder and file I am trying to delete are on my L (external drive) in a folder named I Tunes Music : Compilations : A Perfect World. After opening Start>Run>cmd and adding L:itunesmusic/compilations/aperfectworld nothing opens. Help

[SleepyDude]

Hi,

Are you sure the folder name includes ":"??

[jbljohn]

My mistake (sorry) File name is L:\iTunes Music\Compilations\A Perfect World\(then two squares, a Capital "H", two Omega signs, two squares, what appears to be a greek "B", a period (.), a square, and an Omega sign.

[SleepyDude]

Ok, in that case after opening the command prompt the command you need to write to got to the right folder is:

cd /D "L:\iTunes Music\Compilations\A Perfect World\"

Then use the dir command like i wrote above.

[jbljohn]

After executing "dir/A/X" I am getting a message that says "The parameter is incorrect' and I do not see any short file name.

[SleepyDude]

jbljohn, on 02 August 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

After executing "dir/A/X" I am getting a message that says "The parameter is incorrect' and I do not see any short file name.

What happen to the spaces between the arguments!!

[jbljohn]

What is an argument?

[SleepyDude]

jbljohn, on 02 August 2012 - 12:18 PM, said:

What is an argument?

dir is the command and the arguments are the characters you write after the command.
You have to put spaces between the command and every argument, please copy & paste the line below

dir /A /X

[jbljohn]

After Perfect World> I have entered "dir /A /X", "dir/A /X" and " dir/A /X" in all cases I get the same message "The parameter is incorrect"

[SleepyDude]

Ok, if you write only dir and press enter you got the same error?

Also did you have more files inside the "Perfect World" folder?

[jbljohn]

dir does result in same error message.

The A Perfect World folder has only one folder in it that is the squares and Omega signs previously described. That folder has about files in it some with a single alpha character beside them and some with a square beside them.

[SleepyDude]

On the problematic folder try this command to see if it can list the files.

for %f in (*.*) do @echo %~sf

[jbljohn]

I'm not following what you want me to do.