Cannot Delete Gibberish Files

[Xaos23]

System:

Win XP Pro SP1, FAT32

Problem:

A while back I had a system crash and had to re-install Windows. I didn't format and just reinstalled over top to fix the problem that was occuring, as I thought a complete format wasn't necessary. Afterwards, in my C:\Documents and Settings folder,there was another folder called TEMP. It contains some of the standard folders such as Local Settings, Desktop, Cookies, etc. However, within all of these folders are hundreds of files and subfolders, all of which have scrambled filenames, characters and extensions such as S@8M?'_!.!!! and the like, some with symbols I have no idea how to recreate on with the keyboard, complete garbage like that for every file and folder. They also have invalid file sizes (some registering up to 280G, whereas my drive isnt even that big).

I have tried to delete these files and directories through various methods and all have been unsuccessful. I have tried deleting them through the DOS command line, but everytime it says it cannot find that directory, and no short name comes up for the TEMP folder using dir /x and every other command Ive tried says it cannot find the specified directory or file. Ive also tried using a couple of third party utilities that tries to delete them by changing them to short name, all have been unsuccessful.

When doing a standard right click>delete, it says it "cannot find p: no such directory" (yes it is a small 'p') and of course I do not have a p: directory.

Also, when trying to manually delte it says the volume label or syntax is invalid. Checking the folder properties shows the folder as read-only. However, when I deselect it and apply it, and then check it again, the read-only has been reapplied automatically.

Does anyone have a solution to this? These files are apparently eating 28G of space on my computer and I would like them gone. I have searched high and low over the net and have not found a solution that works. Third party software that Ive tried has been unsuccessful as well, invalid syntax errors and the like. Much thanks to any possible solution aside from reformatting completly, that really isn't an option for me at this time.

[hartken]

I never saw anything like that before, but did you try putting the drive as a slave into another computer and trying to delete it? Sometimes that works for me. Also if you could get a 2nd hard drive and ghost the drive to that one, you could do a low level format or zero fill which will surely get rid of the files and then you can copy the files you want back. If you have a friends' computer you could use and an extra hard drive it should work.

[thefultonhow]

If you can find a program that can wipe only certain parts of the drive, then you might be able to use that, but it's possible that your FAT is corrupted and you'll need to reformat to get rid of the files.

[Xaos23]

No I dont have another computer to slave it to at the moment, and my friends computer that I could try it with is having its own problems.

[Xaos23]

Any suggestions on such a program?

[Miz]

Have you tried MoveOnBoot? It will move and delete files you tell it to before Windows loads and can interfere.

Killbox will also delete files on the next boot.

[scomac]

I have used the program called "Delete FXP Files" by JRTwine Software. It will remove some of those pesky files that you can't delete by right clicking and 'delete'.

Scomac

[glc]

You have been bitten by FAT32. The only way to really clear this up is reformatting. Try booting with the XP CD, use the recovery console, and run CHKDSK /P