Can I delete this file? (follow-up)

Thanks for the responses. Gary, I enabled "Show All Files" and a few
more files popped up, but when I tried to delete them I got warning
messages. I'd tell you exactly what they are but the computer is not
with me right now. I've been trying to post a response since last week
but Google wouldn't put it through for some reason, so I tried posting
a new thread instead. Anyway, as long as the files aren't hurting
anything I don't have a problem just leaving them there. The only
thing going on that hard drive will be audio and picture files. Thanks
for responding ;-)

JD


"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message ...
Emrys,

I'm not sure what post you're answering (doesn't show up in my list, and
the link fails to bring it up, too.) In any case, your advice is a bit
off. If the OP just added the drive and the only file on it is
Command.com, then OP probably had Hidden files truly hidden and there
were a few other files on the drive as well. Like IO.SYS. Someone had
made it bootable.

The correct answer was to make sure "Show All Files" is enabled, and
then delete whatever files are there. Or to reformat the disk.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x

"Emrys Davies" wrote in message
...
'JD',

Do not delete it. Command.com opens to Ms-DOS Prompt.

Go to Start Run type in: Command.com OK

Regards,
Emrys Davies.


"JD" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I just added a second hard drive to one of my computers, and when I
access it via My Computer it shows a file named "Command.com".
Nothing
else is on the drive. Is this file something that can be deleted
without causing problems or shoud I just leave it alone? Thanks ;-)

JD

"JD" wrote in message
m...

Thanks for the responses. Gary, I enabled "Show All Files" and a few
more files popped up, but when I tried to delete them I got warning
messages. I'd tell you exactly what they are but the computer is not
with me right now. I've been trying to post a response since last week
but Google wouldn't put it through for some reason, so I tried posting
a new thread instead. Anyway, as long as the files aren't hurting
anything I don't have a problem just leaving them there. The only
thing going on that hard drive will be audio and picture files. Thanks

If you have likely trojans or malware on your
hard drive, it is wiser to delete them -- or at
least rename them so they are no longer EXE
or DLL files. Files loaded by Win98 cannot
be deleted (you have to close them first) so
this is the probable reason for your error messages.
DOS does not have this restriction i.e. you can
delete (or rename) bad files in a DOS box
without "protection" by Windows. Then reboot
(and watch for error messages, in case any of
your startup routines attempts to call a bad
file you have DELeted or RENamed.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

The warning messages were probably to the effect that because these =
files are marked with the System attribute, perhaps it wouldn't be wise =
to delete them. Of course, you now know that these are artifacts--not =
really part of your system. So you can go ahead and delete them. If =
you're at all worried, just delete them to the Recycle Bin, or move them =
to a new folder, then see if anything goes awry. Assuming no problems, =
delete them next week.

--=20
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x
=20
"JD" wrote in message =
m...
Thanks for the responses. Gary, I enabled "Show All Files" and a few
more files popped up, but when I tried to delete them I got warning
messages. I'd tell you exactly what they are but the computer is not
with me right now. I've been trying to post a response since last week
but Google wouldn't put it through for some reason, so I tried posting
a new thread instead. Anyway, as long as the files aren't hurting
anything I don't have a problem just leaving them there. The only
thing going on that hard drive will be audio and picture files. Thanks
for responding ;-)
=20
JD
=20
=20
"Gary S. Terhune" wrote in message =
...
Emrys,
=20
I'm not sure what post you're answering (doesn't show up in my list, =
and=20
the link fails to bring it up, too.) In any case, your advice is a =
bit=20
off. If the OP just added the drive and the only file on it is=20
Command.com, then OP probably had Hidden files truly hidden and =
there=20
were a few other files on the drive as well. Like IO.SYS. Someone =
had=20
made it bootable.
=20
The correct answer was to make sure "Show All Files" is enabled, and =

then delete whatever files are there. Or to reformat the disk.
=20
--=20
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Win9x
=20
"Emrys Davies" wrote in message=20
...
'JD',
=20
Do not delete it. Command.com opens to Ms-DOS Prompt.
=20
Go to Start Run type in: Command.com OK
=20
Regards,
Emrys Davies.
=20
=20
"JD" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I just added a second hard drive to one of my computers, and =
when I
access it via My Computer it shows a file named "Command.com".=20
Nothing
else is on the drive. Is this file something that can be deleted
without causing problems or shoud I just leave it alone? Thanks =
;-)

JD
=20

Thanks for the responses. I will try putting the files in the Recycle
Bin to see what happens.

JD