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Hello,
Need some help from someone far more skilled than me.
I have been cleaning up my pc, deleting old stuff, uninstalling etc etc
I had a old file that had financial info in it (word doc) so i shredded it using software that i've used for years.
Problem is the file is now stuck on my desktop. I can't delete it, it just stays in place, shredding doesn't take it away. I can't move it or open it as its 0 bytes
How the hell do i get rid of it ?
Is the software still holding onto the file? Have you rebooted?
Yeah i have rebooted.
Nothing is using the file.
When i try to delete it says it is no longer located on the desktop, please check and try again...
create a file with the same name and save it to the desktop then delete it?
safe mode cmd prompt?
Which operating system do you have, and what version (eg, Windows XP Home, Windows 7 Pro)? Do you have an account with Admin rights?
Nothing above is working.
It's Windows 7 pro
Full admin account
The desktop is just a folder, in the user section. have a look in there and see if you can delete it.
Says the same thing. Could not find this file.
So what is on the desktop? A short cut? Right click and select properties.
It's what's left of the file.
I put everything i was shredding on the desktop, so moved from folders etc.
Everything was shredded but this one still remains.
It has 0 bytes
no file extension
I can't move it (not found)
Cant rename (not found)
cant delete (not found)
cant hide it " "
Seems to be fairly common, do a search on 'desktop icon can't delete' give a few options to try.
speaking as a man who knows bugger all about pcs, try CCleaner 🙂
OK, if you have Windows 7 Pro and full admin right, can you right click and choose Properties? If so, look on the Security tab and see what access rights you have. Sometimes, even as Admin, you won't have the right to delete it, but you can give yourself that right - try exploring the Advanced options.
If it won't let you see the Properties then I'm out of ideas - except I would try what was suggested further up the thread, boot into safe mode, and see if you can delete it from there, if necessary using the command line.