Windows 7 Deleting files shows huge # of total items and sizes

[dongray55]

I've got Win7 Ultimate installed on two machines. The desktop runs the 32-bit version. The laptop runs the 64-bit version.

Whenever I select files and delete them (either using right-click-delete or using the keyboard delete key), a message box pops ups with the status of the delete as expected. However this message box continues to add to the total files until the numbers of items to be deleted are often in the billions. And this also reflects Terabytes of stuff being deleted. This can happens whenever I delete even just two or three files but usually when I'm dleting a thousand or more. It will show hundreds of hours to complete. It doesn't do it every time but does most of the time.

A recent example: I wanted to delete 33,204 jpg files (about 3.2G) off a 4G memory stick. I selected the folders they were in and pressed the delete key. After 3 minutes of adding, the message box shows over 7 million files to be deleted, totaling over 692G and an estimate of 222 hours to complete! It's continues to add more items and size as it goes. After about 5 minutes it finishes and has done what I requested but the messages were completely bogus!

I can tell you I've canceled several deletes when these incorrect status messages make me think I'm about to accidentally delete more than selected.

Is there a fix for this W7 error? I have all the Windows updated to the latest possible via the Windows update site.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you are experiencing a strange issue with file deletion progress reporting in Windows 7 Ultimate on both of your machines. This issue can be quite misleading and frustrating, especially when it shows significantly incorrect numbers of items and sizes to delete. Here are some steps you can try to address this problem:

1. Disk Cleanup​

• Perform a Disk Cleanup operation. This utility can help clear up temporary files and potentially correct any file deletion progress reporting discrepancies.

  2. System File Checker​

• Run the System File Checker tool to scan for and restore corrupted system files. Here's how to do it:
  • Open a Command Prompt with administrative privileges.
  • Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This command will scan your system files for errors and repair them if possible.

    3. Check Disk Errors​

  []Check for disk errors that could be causing this abnormal behavior. To do this:
  • Open a Command Prompt with administrative rights.
  • Type chkdsk /f C: (replace C: with the drive letter where Windows is installed) and hit Enter.
  • You may need to schedule the check for the next system restart—type Y and restart your computer.

    4. System Restore​

  []Consider performing a System Restore to a point where you didn't have this issue. This can revert your system back to a working state.

  5. Check for Malware​

• Perform a full system scan with a reliable antivirus program to rule out any malware causing this unexpected behavior.

  Additional Steps:​

  • Ensure your system is up to date with the latest Windows updates to address any known issues or bugs.
  • Check for any third-party software that might be interfering with the file deletion process and temporarily disable them.
  If the issue persists after trying these solutions, it might be helpful to consider upgrading to a more recent version of Windows, as Windows 7 is no longer receiving security updates from Microsoft (as of January 14, 2020). This step could also potentially resolve the issue you're facing. Feel free to try these solutions and let me know if you need further assistance or if you encounter any specific errors during the process.