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

Anonymous

Problem solved via an alternative Files app <thumbs up>

[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.

Developer-Dude

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

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

other8026

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

Developer-Dude

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:
#24928

Developer-Dude

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.

Developer-Dude

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.

Developer-Dude

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.

ignoramous

Bimmy 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.

td.txt (compact trie of domain names)
rd.txt (rank directory)
filetag.json (blocklist names)
basicconfig.json (versioned rank directory & trie parameters)

These files are downloaded by Rethink for On-device blocklists, created every 8 days by https://github.com/serverless-dns/blocklists/blob/c33a28afab260b6fab75b537a565803b035990ca/.github/workflows/createUploadBlocklistFilter.yml

Novaliss

ignoramous thank you for clarifying this. 🕵🏾‍♂️👍🏽

Elysium

Developer-Dude

Temporarily disable other apps that rely on time/date to trigger things. (this is optional but helps avoiding stuff like calendar events from triggering for no reason)

Set your system time like 1 year into the future.

If I am right and you had similar case like mine, you will be able to delete the file.

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