Can't delete "ghost file" from downloads in files app

matchboxbananasynergy

This is an upstream AOSP issue, and based on reports I've heard, the files go away by themselves after a few days, so the issue should take care of itself without any manual intervention being required.

Anonymous The Files app cannot be uninstalled via adb, after being replaced with an equally or more functional Files app? I've done it on a device before without any negative impact on the system or functionality. It had to be installed and made default, though, before deleting the stock app.

I would absolutely not recommend deleting any system app with ADB. You will also notice that the files app cannot be disabled via the regular user UI. There's a reason for that. documentsui (the AOSP files app) is used by apps and the system in general for when the file manager needs to be called to select files for apps as part of the storage access framework. You are extremely likely to break the OS by removing that app. If you want another files app because you prefer its UI or features, you're fine to install another one, but please leave the installed one alongside it.

Anonymous

matchboxbananasynergy

matchboxbananasynergy This is an upstream AOSP issue, and based on reports I've heard, the files go away by themselves after a few days, so the issue should take care of itself without any manual intervention being required.

So, even if I haven't tried to delete them, due to the fact that the option to do so doesn't even exist, they will still just, spontaneously disappear? That doesn't seem right. But, I hope it is. I also hope the delete option spontaneously manifests as it's a pretty important feature.

I tried to locate and remove the files with adb, but it kept saying they couldn't be found, so maybe they really are ghosts in spite of never having been deleted <shrug>

other8026

nandohyphen1 It sounds like the same upstream bug that this thread is about. See this reply above matchboxbananasynergy.

[deleted]

Anonymous Many apps, like KeepassDX, force opening files via the default file manager ("DocumentsUI"), so They'll be broken if you remove the default File manager. The default File Manager is also needed for granting access to External USB drives, Cloud storage via SAF, etc.

[deleted]

[deleted] Edit: Actually I opened a keepass vault once with the default file manager and ticked "Don't ask again" option, so KeepassDX was only opening files from the default file manager, and that's why I thought KeepassDX forces opening an kepass vault via the default file manager when using the "Open existing vault" feature in KeepassDX itself. KeepassDX supports opening an kepass vault from any file manager. KeepassDX only forces the creation of an keepass vault via the default file manager, If you create an database via the 'Create new vault' feature in KeepassDX itself, which you don't have to use anyway. Just creating an file named <file_title_here>.kdbx via your preffered file manager and then opening it in KeepassDX will suffice.

Anonymous

Ok, thanks!

Anonymous

Problem solved via an alternative Files app <thumbs up>

nandohyphen1

I've got this weird file in my files app. Its called 'th ( 1)' I can't open it or delete it and I don't know what it is or how it got there. Anyone know what it is and how to get rid of it?

r134a

nandohyphen1 Perhaps the specific location where that file is stored could increase the likelihood of someone being able to identify what that file could be.

nandohyphen1

r134a it is in the downloads folder. It looks like a text file but its not.

other8026 OK. So it shouldn't be a malicious file or anything and will (hopefully) go away eventually?

Bimmy

Recently, I came accross strange ghost(?) files from Download Manger too. In my case, I couldn't even find them.

There were 3 spooky txt(?)-files - at least they had names like _td.txt, which vaguely resembles abovementioned "th"-file - and 1 spooky json(?)-file.

The "txt"-files provoked a message, that they could not be found and simultaneously disappeared as soon as I clicked them from Downloads in Vanadium.

The json-file definitely was readable with BeauTyXT-Editor at first. The later told it rested on "/", although Files manager app didn't see anything on the top level. Then it disappeared from Download Manager as well and became lost since then.

For the fully blown details of my spooky ghost(?) file story, I put up a dedicated thread:
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/24928-uneasy-after-unwanted-downloads-via-download-manager-ideas-for-diagnosis

nandohyphen1

Bimmy that's interesting (and also a little spooky!). I'm positive I wasn't downloading anything on Vanadium at the time either. Its not even in my downloads on Vanadium. But as soon as I opened the files app, there it was. No date or time on it either so its completely strange to me. And if I try to delete it, it says 'deleted one item' and the file stays there. As long as its not some sort of malware I (guess?) I'm OK with it being there until it will (maybe?) delete sometime.

nandohyphen1

I'm just hoping whatever it is isn't some sort of malware... :-/ I looked at the file some more under get info. It says the file type is a file, the title is th (1), and its taking up 0 bytes of storage. I got the idea of plugging my phone into my computer and seeing if I can delete it that way. I might try that tomorrow.

nandohyphen1

I'm still unable to get rid of it... :(

void0

Was reading the logs and it seemed like the file index believed it still existed even though it did not. Tried creating new files using termux with the same name and then deleting that in hopes that it would update the index but that also did not work.

Solution for me was to clear data in the com.android.providers.media.module app through adb.

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.media.module

de0u

void0 Thanks for the report!

void0

I've reproduced the issue once again and I believe I've found the culprit. When downloading a file for the first time in Vandium's incognito mode you will receive a popup similar to the following (i am paraphrasing), "Downloads in incognito mode will be visible to other users on this device, proceed?" This prompt will come with a button to continue the download.

The ghost files are spawned when the following conditions are met:

The user attempts a download for the first time in incognito mode
the prompt listed above appears
The user does not click accept/download instead attempting to reinit the file download process.

This will create a second entry in androids storage indexer and unlink the first entry from chromium's download manager, in turn creating the ghost file.

The only solution to this is A. disable the prompt using a patch or B. file the bug upstream. I don't know much about aosp so I encourage anyone who knows how to report a bug to google to attempt to reproduce this in a user profile. Hope this helps.

void0

I am unable to reliably spawn the first download banner even while attempting to do so in a new user account. However I did find that killing vandium in incognito mode while downloading a file produces the same result.

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