Page 3 - Unable to Delete a File of zero size!

"It's like a book consisted of index and contents pages only. It exists in master file table and file index, but not on the actual disk area. The standard issue is described here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303079/EN-US/"

Went and read this article. My problem was identified and supposed to contact Microsoft Support if this occurs. Unable to get them so far.

One of my previous responses this morning was wrong. I cannot rename the file. I can move it around on the desktop, but cannot place it in another folder, etc. I can change the image of the icon by selection an application to use to open the file in the Properties window, but the "Opens With" becomes blank the next time I look at Properties. The icon remains the appropriate one for the application selected until I change it again in the Properties window.

Can you post a HijackThis log for me to look at as well please ?

(Oo;?(O! It's still somewhat vague, but became interesting. No name means no extention, right?)

Have a look at this entry by regedit.exe. There you'll find

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.323
and so on.

Can you find hereabout "." only extention? Usually not. If there is, check it up thoroughly. You'll find there its entity of that icon.

(Oo;?(By the way, for reference. The said jpg do exist here.)

http://www.adasa.co.kr/html/board_read.html?seq=1260&page=12&tb_name=bbs_t&num=1260&code=6&gubun=2

Similar pages from Internet Archive

http://web.archive.org/web/*/adasa.co.kr/*

(Oo;?(Korean Idol Audition company? Seemingly not so malicious?)

Here it is.

I've had a look over your HJT log and nothing there stands out that would cause this. Bugger !

Do you still have your XP install cd ? A bit extreme but I'm thinking along the lines of using the Recovery Console to try and delete it that way.

Here's a link from Experts Exchange detailing the same problem described in this thread. The person reporting the problem ultimately found a solution. Didn't read every suggestion, but it may be worth taking a look:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Ope...Q_21180952.html

Thanks, but no thanks. Not in the mood to subscribe to the service. It is exactly stated as the same as my problem, but I can't see paying $9+ per month for the answer. Does Gates own some of this company? LOL

My dell came with the operating system already installed, but I do have the installation disk also. Looked at it yesterday in an attempt to boot my system using the disk. Didn't work. Probably working beyond my job description here. LOL

If you scroll down you can see the answer. . .

It is deceiving.

"It's still somewhat vague, but became interesting. No name means no extention, right?

Have a look at this entry by regedit.exe. There you'll find

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.323
and so on.

Can you find hereabout "." only extention? Usually not. If there is, check it up thoroughly. You'll find there its entity of that icon."

Found a "."" entry between the "*" and ".323".
Clicked on the folder, got following info:
Name: ab icon (Default)
Type: REB_SZ
Data: _auto_file

Can I go ahead and delete this?

"http://www.adasa.co.kr/html/board_read.html?seq=1260&page=12&tb_name=bbs_t&num=1260&code=6&gubun=2"

I had sometime back found this site with that file name by searching Google with the file name.

"Korean Idol Audition company? Seemingly not so malicious?"

I don't think it is malicious, I just just irritated that it is there adding clutter to my already cluttered desktop. My desk in Boeing Flight Test looked the same way up to the day I retired!

Went back to the site and scrolled down. Still couldn't find the answer. I suspect that deleting the "." file in the Registry will solve it, but awaiting confirmation that I should go ahead and do this.

Signed: A Cautious ME Awaiting An LE's Blessing
ME: Mechanical Engineer
LE: 'Lectrical Engineer

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!!
My thanks go out to all of you for your perseverence and patience with this old f_ _t. I finally was able to get to the solution/answer at the above web site. It worked like a charm. That sucker is gone-gone-gone. Kadoos to stanleypane for finding this for me. I'm gonna put that program shortcut icon right where the undeletable file was located as a reminder, so I guess my desktop remains just as cluttered (but with all useful stuff!).

Great site here, better than calling India, and I learned a few things, too!

(^^;?(As this should be done by modifying file index, it should not be so difficult.)

As "." entry shouldn't exist from the start, it can be deleted. Then that icon should have been changed into ordinary Windows flag, if not deleted yet. But bedore this, look up _auto_file and check it up thoroughly. 0 byte file itself is harmless. If you leave the true cause alone, everytime you open new file whether it is deletable or not, the icon is supposed to revive. So that, I'm not interested in file deletion.

Along the way, following entries is what I think should be fixed. Maybe some contains the culprit. In the meantime, fix them after confirmation.


O16 - DPF: {8E28B3A9-FE83-45D1-B657-D5426B81A121} (CustomerCtrl Class) - http://cs8b.instantservice.com/jars/customerxsigned41.cab

O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.lizardtech.com/software/expressview/webinstall/isetup.cab

O16 - DPF: {4855C21B-E452-4661-A702-ED3493CE74DF} (AJ Installer Control) - http://sp.ask.com/docs/toolbar/download/askbar-inst.cab

O15 - Trusted Zone: help.sbcglobal.net

O8 - Extra context menu item: Ask Jeeves Search - res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\askbarAB.dll/cmd-search-selection
Nasty The entry Ask Jeeves Search has been identified as nasty.

O8 - Extra context menu item: Dictionary Search - res://C:\WINDOWS\System32\askbarAB.dll/cmd-search-selection-word

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Performance Center] C:\Program Files\Ascentive\Performance Center\APCMain.exe -m

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IPInSightLAN 02] "C:\Program Files\Visual Networks\Visual IP InSight\SBC\IPClient.exe" -l

O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {FDD3B846-8D59-4ffb-8758-209B6AD74ACC} - (no file)

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {549B5CA7-4A86-11D7-A4DF-000874180BB3} - (no file)

F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\Userinit.exe

C:\Program Files\Visual Networks\Visual IP InSight\SBC\IPClient.exe

(Oo;?(Oh! I overlooked.)

Name = ab icon

Probably, this is from askbarAB.dll, I guess.

Though you may delete all the entries relating to "ab icon" and askbarAB.dll, ...

To tell the truth, your installation is already over the limit of ordinary longevity of Windows, I wanted to recommend clean installation in the beginning, for my part.