Explorer: deleting files-How to skip 'An unexpected error' by default?

tfwul · 04 Jun 2017

Was deleting a (very) large number of small files. System is getting unresponsive and I need to wait 3-4 minutes before anything is happening.

After finally the 'instruction' to delete was given ('OK' at 'Are you sure?') Windows Explorer starts.
Deleting may very well take half an hour or an hour, so I went away to watch TV or do something else.

Then after returning I noticed an error warning (explorer halted):

--
1 Interrupted Action
An unexpected error is keeping you from deleting the file. If you continue
to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help with this
problem.
Error 0x80070050: The file exists.

--

I then tag: "Do this for all current items" and click [Try Again]
Deleting then continues.

Question:
how to configure Explorer that this is the default, meaning to say, that Explorer will continue, no matter what.
So deleting will go on, unattended.
Right now it halts...

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dalchina · 04 Jun 2017

Suggestion or two here:
Problems deleting large number of files - painfully slow.... - Windows 7 Help Forums

Researching the error message didn't obviously offer a clear solution.
You could check the event log and see if there's anything there.

As regards continuing that action, you could write a small script in Autohotkey that would press that button; there used also to be a utility that would do that, PTFB I think.. no idea if it's compatible with Win 10.

Here it is (free):

Download PTFB (Push the Freakin' Button) - MajorGeeks

Edwin · 04 Jun 2017

@tfwul
You can modify or create a setting in the Windows Registry to keep "Do this for all current items" checked.
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\OperationStatusManager
Modify the DWORD in the right pane, (or create it), ConfirmationCheckBoxDoForAll and set it's value to 1

Explorer: deleting files-How to skip 'An unexpected error' by default?-000238.png

Or, you can install Winaero Tweaker to do it for you.

Explorer: deleting files-How to skip 'An unexpected error' by default?-000239.png

tfwul · 04 Jun 2017

Thanks to you both.

As for the registry setting, I believe it is set to '1' already.

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Explorer: deleting files-How to skip 'An unexpected error' by default?-snagit-04062017-135715.png

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But apparently that did not really help.

What I am not sure of right now is using the command prompt,
something like
del /s /q /f (followed by a part of the name, with wildcard or so)

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dalchina · 04 Jun 2017

Try that utility. I remember using it years ago.

Or you could try using a boot disk such as Kyhi's at the top of the Software and Apps section and then delete them.

tfwul · 04 Jun 2017

I'll check it out, thanks again.
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tfwul · 04 Jun 2017

Gave it a test with deleting 28,000 files: they were deleted within 15 seconds.
Yesterday, due to some program mistake, I was facing 525,000 small files. Using the normal File Explorer it took many hours to delete these files. Using this command, it probably would have taken 5 minutes or so.

del /s /q /f *.part*.tst

(where the file contained the word: .part

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