DZiants

I appologise, in my last reply, I meant to quote Hazelnut.

Thanks for the suggestion, but this is what I want to try and avoid. I have, of course a backup of all my files but it is the hassle of having to reinstall all the software I have. BTW, I tried today using PrivaZer and it went through all the motions as if it was doing something useful, including removing the file name from its own browsable file list. But looking at the filesystem, I see that it is still "there". Is CCLean purchased edition able to do better?

Thank you for your input. I have been using Win 10 many years, am talking about version upgrades. I looked into this at first thinking that it was something to do with this service, because this ddl is used for such a service. I have no idea whether I used BITS previously, but since one of the major dll files is inaccessible, and it is impossible to even update it with the latest (I also now have 64 bit version of this in SysWOW64 directory and the file is intact), I am certainly not not running the 32 bit version of the service.

Take an example two dll files. The first being qmgr.dll which is blocking any sort of Windows update and the second the file that happens to be before this. qedwipes qedwipes is fine qmgr.dll - is listed on file system through explorer or dir command from Command Prompy; properties-general gives name and properties of file as expected; properties-security had red backgrounded X icon with note "The requested security information is either unavailable or can't be displayed" In elevated command prompt, performing any file manipulation command including takeown, the error "The system cannot find the file specified" is given for qmgr.dll but is fine for the other file. This is what is blocking any sort of Windows update and DISM also when in operating windows in secure mode, cannot handle, as shown on log files. Obviously when I say "deleted" with respect to MFT entry, I mean "marked as deleted", and the file is obviously not marked as deleted here, otherwise would not see on DIR command. But the indication is that the file is not physically there. Are you saying that neither Recuva nor CClean free editions can handle this? Do we have a solution to correct this, that does not need a third party application?

BTW Although my issue came about hopefully before I examined the CCleaner free edition, I see that that tool allows one to force this scenario because it gives option of deleting the file physically without deleting the MFT entry. One needs to buy the full edition to be able to delete also the MFT entry. So how can I handle this using freeware?

A number of other people have described similar senario on this group. I already responded to a post from September. If recuva assumes an intact MFT, then obviously it cannot handle this scenario. Is there anyone on this forum who can give more light concerning the inner workings of this tool?

Non of the standard Microsoft repair tools are able to handle this dll. It's name is qmgr.dll and is in System32 folder despite I have 64 bit laptop. The file, as it appears in explorer shows as if it has a size, but when looking at properties security, it says something to the effect that this is not accessible. When trying to do DEL to delete the file in SAFE mode or in command prompt (using of course elevated option), am told that file does not exist. Tried using full path as well no path from System32 directory. There are no services or processes that are locking the dll because am sure MS repair would have notified if there were.

I have a damaged file - it seems that there is an index entry in MFT but the file does not actually exist Can Recuva be used to recover such file?

I am actually currently trying to usr Recuva for the first to recover a corrupted file that happened, it seems during Win 10 update. What you describe concerning a file that seemingly exists on the file system but in practice there is no access sounds just like your situation. From my limited understating, I think it is because there is an entry in the MFT - an index of all the files there are - with the file physically deleted. So the question is, can Recuva recover such a file?