I can't delete a downloaded movie clip file - please help!
 

I have been attacking this issue for the better part of 24 hours, so if the answer is already here, forgive me if I don't have the patience right now to search for it, and I hope someone can help me ASAP!

I downloaded what I thought was a video but what noiw looks like a "movie clip". I immediately tried to delete it after it was downloaded, but I can't. I have tried everything: Click once to highlight, then there are several ways I should be able to delete (from file menu, right click, select delete, left side menu "delete", select all, delete) but none ofd these worked. When I right click on file, I only get a partial drop down menu and the delete part is not included. I checked my virus scan and ran 2 other spyware programs - I had no viruses, and cleaned up spyware, still, I can't delete the file. I did 2 system restore - still didn't take this file away! I called my antivirus people - they checked for hacker and found nothing and had no other help - there is no virus problem. I tried created a new folder ands tried to move it to new folder, hoping I can delete from there - can't move the file.

When I highlight and view properties from file menu, the box says file size is 0 bytes. When I ran a search to see if it is in other areas, it only came up in the one area that I know it's in, and the file size there says almost 10,000 kb. I tried to delete it from that search method - couldn't.

For now it doesn't seem to be causing any problems, but I can't delete it and that can't be a good thing - I'm afraid there could be a problem soon. For a while, I was getting a notice from my virus company (PC-Cillian, which I love) saying something was trying receive information from the internet through a "listening socket" - maybe it was spyware that got deleted, because I don't get that message now, but I wonder if that came from this file, and what else could be coming.

I even removed Limeware program, hoping that file would go away or at least be deletable, but that didn't work. I cannot find it "in use" anywhere - it never played anything, even at first download.

I'm at a loss of what to do to remove this file. Please help!!!

Thank you,
Renee47

I use this program for the problem you're experiencing:

Delinvfile (delete invalid file)

Good Luck ;)

Dan

just reboot your computer and then try again.
its a typical windows issue

^^^ Reboot, as in re-start? Or is reboot more involved? I have re-started many times during the process of trying everything. I haven't tried the program the first reply here said yet, but I will. When I did an internet search for answers to this problem, I found a few suggestions for programs to try - I think killbox was one. I tied a couple and they didn't work either.

I recently tried to download that same file again, hoping that if the first download wasn't complete that that is what was causing the problem. I found the same file, downloaded to overwrite the first one, still nothing changed - I can't delete it, move it, rename it, no matter what I try.

I am now getting a strange message when my virus scan tries to scan. The pop-up box says it was not able to do a successful scan (or something like that) and when I click "ok" to close the box, it won't close. When I click on the "x", it won't close. I have to ctrl, alt, delete to close that pop-up box and the whole virsus scan program. That's happened twice so far since this bad file was downloaded, and it never happened before.

I have not done the disk clean up or defrag either. I will try them, but after eveything I've tried, I have little hope a disk clean up working.

I do hope others have suggestions. Thank You!

It might be best if you post a Highjack this log at one of these site's, as you sound like you have picked up something nasty...These guys are experts on this type of thing...;)
Bleeping Computer - Computer Help and Discussion
Spyware Warrior :: Index

if restarting (<-- synonym of rebooting, that is shutting down and turning on) doesnt work, it means "something" in that file is executed immediately on boot. This "something" can only be some infected cr*p. No file like a movie is ""executed"" at boot time.

You can also check with a very tiny application that does not need installation, named Autoruns ( AutoRuns download from PC Maintenance category its freeware ) which are the startup entries and with that application you can "normally" disable them just dechecking the thick box

i have a slightly similar Problem,this time when igo to search when i start up in vista i cannot delele a file name for a particular video clip i get the folloeing message (this is no longer located in c:\user jack\downlods\
limewire\Saved try again and i still cannot delete,remove from vista search.:bangh: how can i remove thisvvideo clip filename from search? i'd appreciate any suggestions thank you.

I finally did get this problem resolved, and maybe I can help, because it does sound very similar.

My problem also was a limewire download. Try this:

Open your limewire. Along the top, there are tabs - open the one says "Library". That should list all of the downloads. Find the one that is the problem. It will most likely appear as still trying to download. And that's what's causing the problem. The fact that it's trying to download is why it can't be deleted from other places in your computer. Delete it from this section. That should delete it from the rest of your computer automatically. if you still find it in other places, it should be easy to delete now, but it'll probably be gone once you delete it from the library of limewire.

Hope that helps! That's what my answer turned out to be. In the end, it was that simple, but getting to that answer for beyond frustrating!

Let me know - I'm curious how this works out for you. :)

:PEACE:Thanks fo your imediate response. i did that acouple of days ago iwent to yhe library tab,saved folder and and it did not work so i just deleted that version of limewire thinking that it would solve the problem. that also did not work, so i downloaded another version of limewire and it works for new downloaded files i went to vista search and the old,previous filname "hockey puck is still there and again i tried to delete that movieclip filname and i again get the message.....did not find thid this item
this nolonger Located in c:\jack\downlosd\Saved. try again.movie clip size3.38mb. i run a virus,malware etc...check and did not find any.the only thing i can try is to download the limewire vwrsion i used when i deleted thar movieclip filename i just simple want to delete that particular filname.i hope i can remember what versionof limeware i used. i've triedother types of software to help me delete this problem. but you have to be almost an IT. Thanks for your response. if any one comes up with any solution thanks again.

You said you look in the "Library" tab at "saved files". I un-installed Limewaire a few months ago, so i can't go to the site to look at the path more specific, but I don't recall the offensive file being in a saved folder.

If I recall, when I opened the Library tab, I saw a long list of everything.

I will advise looking in the library under all files that you can, and looking for anything that appears to be still downloading. the offending file - look specifically for that file. if it was downloaded completely or partially, it will be there. look for it and delete it, no matter the status of it (still donwloading or not, just find it and delete it.) If you downloaded it from Limewire, it should be listed there - find it and delte it. if you don'tr find it in one area, search in another area, because it should be found somewhere there. Delete it when you find it.

If you get frustrated (and I know how that can be!), close it, calm down, come back the next day and start all over again with the search for that file. Nothing gets done effectively when one is frustrated, so when that point comes, stop. You won't be productive anyway, and you'll just be more miserable. Then try again later.

That worked for me, and it really sounds like it could work for you too. if you found it in the Limewire library anbd deleted it, if it's still somewhere on else on your computer, you'll be able to delete it now.

Good luck, and keep me posted! :)

Edit: I was able to respond somewhat quickly because I chose to get an email when there is a response in a thread that I have posted in, and I happened to check my email rather shortly after your post, I guess! Now, I'm checking a little more often to catch other responses.