Cannot delete file. Says "Item Not Found Could not find this item Verify this item's location and try again."

Anonymous
2010-01-01T14:35:26+00:00

Cannot delete file.  Says "Item Not Found Could not find this item Verify this item's location and try again."

I had this file sent to me from my friend - it's a word document I had on their computer.  So I tried using Disk Cleanup to delete temporary files, temp internet files, and downloaded program files.  Doesn't work.

When I check properties, there is no security tab, so I can't transfer ownership that way.

I also don't want to experiment using the Command Prompt way of transferring ownership since the file's name is several sentences long.  I can't rename it either, of course.

Windows 7, a week in and I've already got a stupid glitch which has already wasted an hour of my time.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2011-01-25T20:37:12+00:00

What i did was create a notepad file that was blank and saved it at the same location as the file that wont go away.  once saved.  I right click the new file and rename it to the exact name as the problem file.  Be sure to change the file extension (ex: .doc)

ex problem file: word.doc

new file: word.doc

as long as they match eachother exactly you should see the problem file disappear and once thats gone you can delete the new file created.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-10-01T06:05:24+00:00

    I’ll tell you the easiest way, takes 2 seconds and it works!

    open the notepad, type in:

    DEL /F /A /Q \?%1

    RD /S /Q \?%1

    save as delete.dat on the desktop

    drag whatever file you can’t delete on the icon, and the file will be deleted.

    WORKED FOR ME! :)

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-11-09T03:36:38+00:00

    Dear MyraWang this trick worked http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/profile/fdacd191-b754-4a1e-8a3b-eae7e6877de1great for me .

    Thanks a lot .......

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-12-20T01:43:24+00:00

    Some people are still having trouble with this. The notepad trick didn't work for me either but this one did. Hope it helps! And if "rmdir" doesn't work, use "del" in the cmd prompt.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPpsT37ija0

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-01-06T02:56:39+00:00

    This trick also worked on a stubborn folder.  I created a new folder, the named it the same as the one that wouldn't delete.  That did the trick!

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