Quick Fixes for Interrupted Action with Invalid File Handle

Practical way to solve the "Invalid File Handle" error in Windows 10/11 system

Sometimes, you may encounter an "Invalid File Handle" error when trying to rename, delete, or copy files on Windows 10/11. don’t worry! This article will provide some simple and effective solutions.

"Invalid file handle" error

When you try to create or rename a file or folder containing certain Windows reserved words (such as CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, LPT, etc.), you may receive an "Invalid device name specified" error message. If you change the file name, the operation may fail with "interrupt operation, invalid file handle". Fortunately, you can easily delete the file or folder in question. Please continue reading to learn more!

How to fix "Invalid File Handle" error on Windows 10/11?

Method 1: Delete files in safe mode

If the file cannot be deleted in normal mode, try deleting it in safe mode. Safe mode is a diagnostic mode that launches only the operating system and its minimal drivers and services, thereby narrowing the root cause of the problem. The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1. Press Win R to open the Run dialog box.

Step 2. In the Startup tab, check Safe boot and Minimum.

Step 3. Click Apply and OK to make the changes take effect.

Step 4. Your computer then needs to be restarted to enter safe mode. After entering safe mode, open File Explorer to find and delete the file.

Method 2: Use the command prompt to delete the file

If you have multiple files or folders in question, you can use the commands in the command prompt to delete the folder and all files in it. The operation steps are as follows:

Step 1. Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2. In the Command window, type the following command and press Enter . Please replace file-folder-path with the path to the file or folder in question.

rd \\\\.\\file-folder-path /S /Q

• The rd command is used to delete directories or folders.
• The \\\\.\\ command will select the computer you are currently using.
• The /S command can delete all subdirectories and files contained in the specified folder.
• The /Q command deletes everything without displaying any confirmation messages.

If you still get an "Invalid File Handle" error while copying a file, run one of the following commands in the elevated command prompt:

FSUTIL reparsepoint delete C:\\Users\\<username> \\Desktop\\FileName</username>

DEL C:\\Users\\<username> \\Desktop\\FileName</username>

Suggestions: Back up important files to avoid mistaken deletion

Sometimes, you may delete some files by mistake. Additionally, when you intend to delete large files, Windows will ask you to permanently delete them. What should you do if you want to recover these files?

Things will be much easier if you have a backup copy of important files. Speaking of backup, a free Windows backup software called MiniTool ShadowMaker is the first choice for recommendation.

This powerful tool is designed to back up and restore files, folders, selected partitions, Windows systems, and even entire disks. Now, follow these steps to create a file backup:

Step 1. Start the MiniTool ShadowMaker trial version for free.

Step 2. In the Backup page, go to Source > Folders and Files to select the files you need to protect.

Step 3. Then, go to "Target" to select the storage path to store the backup image. Here, external hard drives or USB flash drives are better.

Step 4. Click "Back Up Now" to start the process immediately.

Conclusion

This article introduces two ways to delete files when encountering an "Invalid File Handle" error. At the same time, it is highly recommended to use MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up all the important content on your computer. Hope these methods help you.

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