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    Ghost file on my R31

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by redpencilgirl, Mar 28, 2008.

  1. redpencilgirl

    redpencilgirl Notebook Guru

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    Hoping some of you ThinkPad experts can help! I have a ghost file living in my R31's USB ports...or a ghost folder, I guess you might say. Actually, a ghost folder within a ghost folder. It turns up in any external media I plug in, and I don't know how to get rid of it. I'm planning to buy a new laptop soon (probably a T61), and I'm afraid the ghost will follow me there if I don't figure something out!

    Here's what happened:

    I had an external drive that suddenly stopped being recognized by my R31. The data is still there (I can access it on my boyfriend's Mac), but if I plug it in to my computer, it doesn't show up. Anyway, on that external hard drive, I had a folder for backup (and storage of files I didn't have room for anymore); inside that folder was a folder labeled Music, and inside that folder were lots of other folders for various artists and albums etc.

    That backup folder -- empty, except for the Music folder, which is also empty -- seems to have taken up residence in my R31's USB ports. If I plug anything in (my new external hard drive, my flash drive, or even my camera), after a while this folder-within-a-folder combination shows up on it. I delete it (I usually have to delete the inside folder first, because if I try to delete the two together, the computer tells me that it's still in use), and it's gone, and then I can safely unplug my device...but sure enough, the next time I plug something in, it reappears.

    Does anyone know what this might be? How do I get rid of it for good?
     
    redpencilgirl, Mar 28, 2008
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  2. redpencilgirl

    redpencilgirl Notebook Guru

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    A Monday morning (in New York, at any rate) nudge for this question...maybe someone has an idea to help me? Thanks!
     
    redpencilgirl, Mar 31, 2008
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  3. Arki

    Arki Super Moderator

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    Can you perhaps take a screenshot and upload it here?
     
    Arki, Mar 31, 2008
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  4. redpencilgirl

    redpencilgirl Notebook Guru

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    Um...I don't actually know how. (Blush.) But seriously, a screen shot won't show you anything: It just looks like a regular folder! For example, right now I have my external hard drive plugged in, so I go to My Computer, and then to Local Disk (E :), and then there I find three folders where there should be two. The extra one (let's call it PencilGirl's Stuff) is empty except for another empty folder inside it (let's call it Music).

    The only way to delete the PencilGirl's Stuff folder is to delete the Music folder first. If I do that now, I guarantee the two of them will be back inside Local Disk (E :) in no time. (I don't actually know how long it takes for it to reemerge; I've never sat and watched it.) Now, I don't know that the constant reappearance of these folders is as freaky and ominous as it feels, but I have to imagine that there is some unfinished business going on in my USB ports, and I would love to just make it stop!

    Is that clearer? Any thoughts?
     
    redpencilgirl, Mar 31, 2008
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