[Virtualacorn-list] File present in VA but absent in Windows

[M J D Brown]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Jordan" <brian.jordan9 at btinternet.com>
To: "Discussion and mutual support of VirtualAcorn products." 
<virtualacorn-list at riscository.co.uk>
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 12:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Virtualacorn-list] File present in VA but absent in 
Windows


> On 28 Dec, Brian Jordan <brian.jordan9 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>> Whenever I start my Virtual RPCAdjustSA I get a message about a file
>> which can't be deleted from the recycle bin. All attempts to fix this
>> fail as I can't change the access details which currently don't 
>> permit
>> owner or public writing.
>
>> When I clamber up the directory tree under Windows and open the
>> relevant directory the file is not there and cannot be persuaded to
>> appear when the option to show hidden files is invoked. Is this an
>> indication of a hard drive problem, a subtlety in Windows or me being
>> particularly thick? If any or none of the above would some kind soul
>> help me to fix this?

This is very odd, as I was under the distinct impression that Virtual 
RISC OS hard drives were actually single files so far as the Windows 
filing system are concerned.  Thus I am surprised that the deletion of a 
single RISCOS file should make any use of the Windows Recycle Bin.  What 
seems to be happening is that the  RISC OS deletion action is being 
thwarted by Windows deciding that the file is presently in use by a 
running program ie by Virt...SA as reported by Brian Jordan below.

There are some Windows application programs that create single files 
that behave as pseudo filing system hard drives, for example the Acronis 
TrueImage backup program whose archive file icons, when double-clicked 
open as filer directory windows.  I happen to use the older generation 
VirtualA5000 whose system hard disk is just a Windows folder whose 
internal structure is an exact copy of the RISC OS drive.

I conjecture on the lines of when Brian starts his Virt...SA the 
emulator is enumerating the files contained in the Scrap directory prior 
to their deletion.  At the moment of RISC OS deletion these files are 
transferred to the Windows Recycle bin but with the in use markers still 
set.

> OK Sorted. Windows had decided that it is a system file and hidden it
> from me. I have now copied it to a safe place, in case it is indeed a
> system file, and then deleted it - all now appears to be well...
> Funny how you fret about something for hours and then, just after 
> posting
> to a mailing list or NG the solution becomes blindingly obvious.

>From my comments above, I think this is an interaction between the RISC 
OS emulator and Windows.  I have experienced something similar on an 
isolated occasion in the past with Virtual A5000 which I seem to recall 
resolving by re-booting the computer and deleting the offending file 
*before* restarting the A5000 emulator.

Mike.