Windows 7: Deleted files still show in windows explorer

Anonymous
2009-10-24T06:38:50+00:00

when I delete a file in windows explorer it still shows there - I have to switch to a different directory and back, then the file name of the deleted file disappears. How can windoes explorer be configured so that deleted files disappear there immediately?

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

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Anonymous
2009-11-11T19:58:12+00:00

Hello Everyone,

As TavisB said that this didn’t occur on his guest account before he reinstalled. That means that a corrupted profile can cause this issue, let’s try creating a new account to see if that solves the problem. If the new account works correctly, I’ll provide steps to transferring over your user files.

·         Click Start

·         Enter User Accounts into the search field

·         Press Enter on your keyboard

·         Click Manage another Account

·         Click Create a new account

·         Type the name of the user account

·         Click the account type (make it administrator if you are replacing an administrator account)

·         Click Create Account

·         Log off the current user

·         Log into the new user

Try to replicate the problems experienced by your original profile. If the problem doesn’t occur then you just have to switch your documents over to this profile.

·         Click Start

·         Click Documents

·         Click Tools (Press Alt if Tools isn’t visible)

·         Click Folder Options…

·         Click View

·         Click Show hidden files and folders

·         Clear Hide protected operating system files

·         Click OK

·         Navigate to this location C:\Users<old username>

·         Select all files and folders except the Ntuser.dat, Ntuser.dat.log, and Ntuser.ini files

·         Click Edit (Press Alt if not visible)

·         Click Copy

·         Locate the C:\Users<new username>

·         Click Edit (Press Alt is not visible)

·         Click Paste

·         Log off the new user

·         Log back into the new user

Hope that helps, look forward to hearing back from you.


Steven

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-06-29T14:55:30+00:00

    I have this problem, too, occasionally, on both Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit and Windows Server 2008R2. I have never had Office installed. It happens when I move files from my Pictures folder into another folder. Happens both in the Pictures library and the My Pictures folder.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-07-15T16:55:20+00:00

    This incorrigible bug, as well as the sys tray wireless network icon (red x) to which I've spend an unnecessary amount of time troubleshooting are two great examples as to why the industry laughs at MSFT's expense, and partially why they've been a zombie company for years - Microsoft, you DON'T CHANGE, lol. Fix the bug (but you won't).

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-10-10T01:09:26+00:00

    I was having a similar problem with deleted files re-appearing and it was driving me crazy.  This is what worked for me and I hope it helps. I deleted files from the temporary internet file directory under c:\users<username>\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary internet files.  Some of the files (aka links) were still listed even though they were deleted.  I tried everything, have my hard drive and all sub-directories set up with proper ownership and permissions, tried other defined users to delete, renamed the directory & files then a delete, tried safe mode and dos commands but on reboot for all of these “fixes” the files would still re-appear.

    Then went to all sorts of download apps to erase 0 byte files, DO NOT USE THESE!!!, nothing worked and to top it all off got the Trojan.Agent. After removing the Trojan.Agent, I then took the file name for the "deleted" file/link and searched within data files (*.dat) for that text string.  Bingo!  An index.dat located at c:\users<username>\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows\cookies contained that string.  I deleted the index.dat for that directory, did a reboot  and the deleted files no longer showed up.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-11-10T18:02:01+00:00

    Works for me, thanks Arlber!

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