# How do I delete "phantom files" in Windows 7? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809 "2015-04-04T16:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/1 "2015-04-04T16:11:01Z")
Here’s the problem: in my download folder for Firefox, there are some files which are remnants of aborted downloads. These files are named like the original files that were tried to download, but without extension, with a filesize of 0 Bytes. When I try to delete them in Windows Explorer, I get the message (paraphrased from my German copy of Windows): “This element couldn’t be found … The element is no longer located in H:\Downloads. Check the element’s location and try again.” So it seems like the folder/file allocation is somehow corrupted. I tried to empty the folder and delete it, but no dice: it can’t be deleted because it still contains those corrupted files. I also tried to delete them with “del” from a command line, but that doesn’t work either. It’s no big deal, but I like to keep my folders tidy and want to get rid of these files. Google didn’t help; I got a lot of hits for explanations to delete files that are still in use by some programs, but that’s not the problem in my case. So what can I do? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/2 "2015-04-04T18:01:16Z")
Hmm, have you tried booting into safe mode and deleting it there? Can you take a screenshot of the error? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/3 "2015-04-04T18:05:52Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Hmm, have you tried booting into safe mode and deleting it there? Can you take a screenshot of the error? Can’t remember if I tried that, but I’ll try it now. A screenshot wouldn’t be of much use, as the error box only contains the error message I quoted in the OP, but in German. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/4 "2015-04-04T18:07:54Z")
Check the attributes. I’ll bet one or more flags are set to prevent deletion. Check for hidden files. If one is read only, yet you can’t see it, that would explain what you are experiencing. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/5 "2015-04-04T18:11:31Z")
You should be able to delete the file inside a command prompt. Click on your start button and choose cmd.exe (I suppose it might have a different name in the German version). Then navigate to the proper folder as in DOS days using cd and erase the files using del. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/6 "2015-04-04T18:15:52Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > You should be able to delete the file inside a command prompt. Click on your start button and choose cmd.exe (I suppose it might have a different name in the German version). Then navigate to the proper folder as in DOS days using cd and erase the files using del. Won’t work if they are R/O and/or hidden. You may have to change the attributes first (ATTRIB). ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/7 "2015-04-04T18:16:58Z")
Use [UnLock IT Free - Unlock a File or Folder Locked by the System](http://emcosoftware.com/move-on-boot) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/8 "2015-04-04T18:23:03Z")
Tried it in safe mode: no difference, I get the same error message. The files are neither R/O nor hidden. As I said in the OP, I tried to delete from a command prompt, didn’t work either. I suspect that the error lies somehow with what used to be called file allocation table, I don’t know the equivalent on a NTFS drive. If it makes a difference, those files are located on a NTFS partition of a physical hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/9 "2015-04-04T18:32:59Z")
What if you did a “rd /s downloads” to delete that entire folder? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/10 "2015-04-04T18:48:34Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > Use [UnLock IT Free - Unlock a File or Folder Locked by the System](http://emcosoftware.com/move-on-boot) Tried it, didn’t work. MoveOnBoot says: [Quote=MoveOnBoot] Warning Schedule File for Deletion The application can’t access the following file - it may be blocked or doesn’t exist on the file system, so its deletion may not succeed on the next Windows boot. [/Quote] So as I guessed, the issue is somehow deeper in the system than just a blocked file. There seems to be a mismatch between what Windows Explorer displays and what exists for the Windows file system. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/11 "2015-04-04T18:50:05Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > What if you did a “rd /s downloads” to delete that entire folder? Already tried, didn’t work. The error message was “Folder not empty” or something to that extent. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/12 "2015-04-04T18:56:10Z")
Have you done a disk check? > **[How to Use CHKDSK to Fix Hard Drive Problems on Windows 10 or Windows 11](https://www.howtogeek.com/1033/how-to-use-chkdsk-on-windows/)** > > Any time you have hard drive errors—or even strange behavior you might not at first associate with a hard drive—Check Disk can be a lifesaver. Here’s how to use the Chkdsk tool that comes with Windows 10, Windows 11, and other versions of... ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/13 "2015-04-04T18:59:22Z")
Sounds like you might have some corruption in the file table. I’d try setting the system up to run chkdisk the next time you restart. [Instructions here.](http://computerstepbystep.com/windows_7_chkdsk.html) ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/14 "2015-04-04T18:59:40Z")
Can you do a dir /x Downloads – which will list the shortnames of files in that dir, like corupp~1.zip – and then try deleting the shortname version in the command prompt? If dir /x doesn’t work, it should just be the first 6 letters of the name and then a ~1.ext(ension) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/15 "2015-04-04T19:05:10Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > What if you did a “rd /s downloads” to delete that entire folder? > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Already tried, didn’t work. The error message was “Folder not empty” or something to that extent. To my shame, I seem to have that misremembered. So I tried that again, and alas, that did the trick. Thanks, **Reply** , and also thanks to all the others who wanted to help. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/16 "2015-04-04T19:08:29Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > To my shame, I seem to have that misremembered. So I tried that again, and alas, that did the trick. Thanks, **Reply** , and also thanks to all the others who wanted to help. Huzzah!\* \*I have no idea what that word actually means, but it sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/17 "2015-04-04T19:09:38Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I suspect that the error lies somehow with what used to be called file allocation table, I don’t know the equivalent on a NTFS drive. [Master File Table.](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365230%28v=vs.85%29.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/18 "2015-04-04T22:04:41Z")
Chkdsk works for NTFS, but I haven’t tried it on Win 7. If that is your problem, chkdsk /f is a fix. I wrote the above 3 hours ago, then was called away from my computer before posting. I see the advice is no longer needed, but I’ll post it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/19 "2015-04-04T22:18:04Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > To my shame, I seem to have that misremembered. So I tried that again, and alas, that did the trick. Thanks, **Reply** , and also thanks to all the others who wanted to help. You probably just tried plain “rd Downloads.” Without the /s, directories won’t be removed unless they are empty. And, yeah, run a chkdsk /f to check for and repair errors, just in case it’s not just in your Downloads folder. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809/20 "2015-04-04T22:21:05Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Chkdsk works for NTFS, but I haven’t tried it on Win 7. If that is your problem, chkdsk /f is a fix. > > I wrote the above 3 hours ago, then was called away from my computer before posting. I see the advice is no longer needed, but I’ll post it anyway. Probably this would have resolved the issue, too. I frankly didn’t think of chkdsk, because since the days of Win 9.x and XP I think I’ve never used it again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-delete-phantom-files-in-windows-7/716809.md?page=2)