CCleaner cannot delete huge files

CCleaner for Windows CCleaner Windows Bug Reporting
1

I have some huge old database files, what I would like to delete in some of the secure mode modes, but CClenaer just don't do that... They are included in the Analyze listing before, Running Cleaner does not say anything about them, but they remain in their place. Actually, the size of the files are between 3 - 4 GB.

This happens with all huge files, independently of they are involved via the Optional Include facility, or if they are in the windows recycle bin.

Actually, I have windows 7 64 bit, but this happens on windows xp as well. Everything is very updated, and (hopefully) virus free. I've experienced this problem about a year ago... On the win 7 pc one file looks like D:\bbbbbb\cccccccc\Programs -1992\TestFile.MDF (are not busy, of course), where D is the third primary partition of 320 GB NTFS of a 1 TB Basic disk (this is the Disk1, and there is an other Disk0 in the PC unallocated yet; the op.system is on the C drive on the Disk1). However, as I mentioned, it does not related with op system or huge disk, rather then the size of the file itself. Except their size these undeletable files seems to be very normal.

I would appreciate any help.

2

I've just securely deleted (1 pass) a 4.79 gb file OK from a folder on the c drive using XP. The folder was an entry in the Include section and both analysis and deletion went fine, in a few minutes.

After saying that I've no idea why you are having problems. How long does the 'delete' take? Do they show up afterwards in Analyse? What delete option did you select? Are other smaller files in the Include selection deleted?

3

Thanx for your quick response :-)

I have checked all my statements again, and I discovered, that CC deletes the file, if it is recycled first, but I'm sure, not via the secure method, because it is so quick. However, it can not delete that file (and anything above some size) on windowsá7 and xp too.

The deletion process is fast, all the other files of the listing seem to be deleted in the secure way (at least in slow motion), but the huge one remains both in the newer Analyze list, both in its place, and it is not among the deleted results. CC cannot succeed even when that is the only file to delete. Just to be sure I've checked again on my xp pc too, and it doesn't work. It can delete files of 1.2, 1.6 GB, but the 3+ GB (more preciously: 3 269 128 KB) files seem to be too much... I mention, that the configuration of this pc has some speciality as well. It's a 10 year old computer with a not very supportive for disks bios: cannot handle disks above 132 GB (however the disk drive itself is a 160 GB one, with 60+60+10 GB partitions, leaving the remainder unallocated). I make you remembered, that my windows 7 machine has also some speciality, regarding its disks. May they cause problems: there are not too many pc's with an unallocated disk, or disk-part, perhaps... I don't know. But if CC uses low level write for deleting, then it may cause problems...

These are my CC settings on my Win'7 pc (but initially I tried with the 3 passes rewrite option):

[Options]

UpdateCheck=0

Language=1033

UpdateKey=06/24/2011 09:46:02 PM

CookiesToSave=bbc.co.uk|cnn.com|edition.cnn.com|google.com|google.com/help|google.com/verify|

newsimg.bbc.co.uk|sat24.com|support.google.com|support.google.com/websearch|weather.com|

www.bbc.co.uk|www.google.com|www.sat24.com|www.weather.com

(App)IIS Log Files=True

WINDOW_LEFT=960

WINDOW_TOP=0

WINDOW_WIDTH=960

WINDOW_HEIGHT=1050

WINDOW_MAX=0

(App)Custom Folders=True

SecureDeleteType=1

SecureDeleteMethod=0

(App)Windows Error Reporting=True

(App)DNS Cache=True

MSG_CONFIRMCLEAN=False

DelayTemp=0

(App)Old Prefetch data=True

(App)User Assist History=True

(App)Game Explorer=True

(App)Autocomplete Form History=True

(App)Saved Passwords=False

WipeMFTFreeSpace=1

WipeFreeSpaceDrives=

MinimizeSystemTray=1

AutoClose=0

DefaultDetailedView=1

(App)Notepad++=True

(App)Adobe Air=True

(App)Sun Java=True

(App)Wipe Free Space=True

Include1=FILE|D:\bbbbbb\cccccccc\Programs - 1992\|TestFile.MDF

Thanks again dealing with the problem. Perhaps solving the problem helps to recover something valuable :-)

4

I have some huge old database files,

There was a time when they were NOT old but current.

Perhaps a Database Application considered them precious and protected them with A.C.L.'s to prevent accidental loss.

Even if the Application is no more, Windows may still enforce that protection.

It may be worth launching CMD.EXE and invoking

ICACLS  "D:\bbbbbb\cccccccc\Programs - 1992\|TestFile.MDF"

That will show if you have full control or something less.

If you do not understand the results just post them and an expert (not me) can interpret,

if it needed could advise how to fix any A.C.L. problem

5

Previously I renamed the file to a textfile, but no change. It was used by the MS SQL server, but it is not attached, and I can do with that what I want.

From cacls I see, I have all permissions to do anything with it, and even its directory.

However, I did give full permission to administrator and to myself two (I'm also a member of the admin group). Nothing has changed.

Then a frsiky idea has come into my mind: splitting the file into little less parts. So I fabricated two 1.5 GB and one remainder part of the original file, still leaving the original one intact (via TotalCommander / split file). I mention, that the cacls results were the same for all the files. Then I added all files to the included for dletion files in CC. The result is: all the new "little" files were deleted, but the big survival has survived with a sorrowfull smile on its mouth :-)

6

I have a good news and a bad news.

The good: I've made some huge files (over 3 GB), and all of them could be deleted, as I expected.

The bad: those old files are still in the state of passive resistence :-) So, they should have some specialities CC (or rather the means used by CC) doesn't like.

Hopefully I will have time in 2 weeks time, and I will look after them. If I find something (hopefully), then I will post it here.

Thanx for your help and patient :-)

7

I have checked all my statements again, and I discovered, that CC deletes the file, if it is recycled first, but I'm sure, not via the secure method, because it is so quick.

I suggest using Recuva.

First - do NOT install Recuva in any partition which already holds deleted files of interest.

If Recuva can find and recuva one of those deleted files it suggests it was not securely deleted, as you suspect,

but perhaps it may find what was a previous version which was non-securely deleted when the database application updated the file.

If you Wipe free space then Recuva should be unable to find anything to resurrect.

If you then send to the recycle bin two large files,

one "special" that you suspect CC fails to securely delete ;

and one "normal" which CC spends time on and achieves a secure delete ;

THEN secure delete the recycle bin and try Recuva

If Recuva is able to resurrect the "special" but not the "normal" that will prove your suspicion.

It would be my suspicion that Piriform perform secure deletion by use of Microsoft API's ( I only know they exist and do low level stuff ),

and I suspect that it is the API's which cannot cope with the "special",

and other smaller applications for secure deletion from other suppliers may similarly fail.

It is possible that some larger applications may use or even code their own API's and put the "special" beyond the reach of Recuva.

I notice in post #5 you said "I mention, that the cacls results were the same for all the files".

CACLS is all that I had with XP, and remains available in Windows 7 but is deprecated

ICACLS is recommended in Windows 7, ( I guess it works better)

8

Thanx Alan. After you second answer (which contained a suggestion about looking at the files by icacls) I've made the tests just on win'7, and checked the files both with cacls and icacls. For now the problem has aroused my interest so much, that I want to know the precise reason, so I will see it thoroughly. It seems to be so unique, that nobody else met it...

I really appreciate your support :-)

9

i think ccleaner didnt delete such huge files

met this situation before

member re-added link

member now banned.

10

This thread is about large files, not long names, so the commercial link in your post isn't really needed.

I've therefore deleted it.

11

I've looked at the file via Russinovich's Process Monitor, and it seems to me, that the problem is related somehow with the "Wipe Cluster Tips" option. The file is not deleted when this option is set, and the program seems to work correctly, if it is off --- as you can see from the attached log.

I don't find much information about this option, so I'm not sure whether it works as planned, or this is a bug. However, because some huge files could be deleted even if the option is set, I guess this is a just a lost way after trying to clean the tip, or something like that.

RelatedEvents - TestData.txt

12

Congratulations on your progress.

13

I am not very pleased with that... it would be better to be a bit younger... ;-)

14

This may have been excluded by your testing,

but I have a new idea on something "special" about a file that could prevent Secure Deletion.

The check-box to Wipe Cluster Tips is immediately below that for "Wipe Alternate Data Streams"

If Wipe A.D.S. is applied (either by that check-box or some side-effect of the other check-box),

then perhaps NEITHER the Alternate nor the "Visible" can be deleted if the A.D.S. is "In Use".

(Don't ask me how to use an A.D.S. - I would have to go Google it.)

15

When I realised, that leaving all the options helped, I tested all the other combinations and found that just the tips-on caused the mentioned sideeffect. And the skipped deleting effect happens NOT randomly: it really depends on the setting of the Tips-switch-witch. But I don't exclude the ads too (my file has no ads). I think, by just focusing on the code it should be relatively easy to pinpoint the error (the attached log could help), or it is on the other side (NTFS handling, driver, uuuh). It is important to keep in mind, that the error does not occur on normal sized files, and just rarely on huge files. Good look :-)

16

I may debug the code here, just send the relevant parts of the program to me (in the case, you can't see or reproduce the situation).

17

There is no change in the 3.15.1643 version in the symptoms of the described problem :(