Hi,

I'm having a problem deleting some files from a XP PC. It seems to be the incredibly long pathname that's causing the trouble (255 Chars + filename!)

The problem has arisen because SpySweeper just freezes when it gets to one of these files. I've tried deleting them in but I just get 'access denied' or 'pathway too long'. I can't even open the files either.

Runing a disc checker program tells me I need to run chkdsk /f, but this just finds no errors to fix.

I tried that move on boot thingy too, but that just appears to do nothing at all..

If the path name is too long, I don't know how someone managed to make these files in the first place.

Anyone got any suggestions???

I destroy most of my files using the Secure Shredder feature on Spybot. If you're not using it already this is the homepage:

http://www.safer-networking.org/

You can't download the Shredder separately; it appears when you click on the Tools button in the lower left corner of the opening page. It allows you to choose the number of shreds yourself. I like that.

To get the files into the Shredder I locate them through the Search, then minimise that, open Spybot shredder, then restore Search, drag and drop.

I hope this helps. However, I would wait and see if any of the real techs here at D-A-L have anything to say about these files you want to remove. They may turn out to be vital components of your system. Not likely, I know, but best to confirm that before you hit the button.

Thanks for your suggestion, but it will not help me in this case unfortunatley.

The files are not protected OS files as they were created/copied into their current location by the computers owner. The spybot feature will just get stuck in the same way I excpect.

Threre seems to be some sort of directory structure corruption. I'm just hoping there is a way to fix it without resorting to a disc format.

This program might be worth a try:

http://www.jrtwine.com/Products/DelFXPFiles/

The Free version only works on one file at a time. Here is the free link:

http://www.jrtwine.com/Products/DelF...lesInstall.exe

Unfortunaley these don't work either!

I'm thinking of resorting to a format, but its preventing me from backing up files.
I'm trying to copy and paste the contents of this drive to an external HDD. It starts working then it gets to the corrpt bits, says there's an error, and just stops. Why not just try the next file?

anyways...
I've left a HDD fixer running on the thing over night (from hirems boot CD) and it seems to be taking an incredibly long time. Looking at 200 hours at the rate its going. I'm guessing somethings not right if its going at that rate. Could it be all the incredibly long directory paths?

Anyone got any other suggestions on what to do with ths thing?

Anybody?