Developer Tools

The Mysterious NUL File Problem

AI tools sometimes create "nul" files that you can't delete normally. Here's how to fix it!

The Problem

Some AI tools accidentally create files named nul, which is a reserved name in Windows. This makes them impossible to delete using normal methods like File Explorer or the standard del command.

You'll see error messages, but the file just won't budge!

Git Won't Push It

The good news? Git recognizes that nul is a reserved name and will automatically ignore it. Your repository is safe!

However, having it sit in your working directory is annoying and can clutter your git status.

The Solution

Use PowerShell running as Administrator with this special command that uses the Windows UNC path syntax:

cmd /c del /f /q "\\?\C:\YOUR-FOLDER\nul"

Step by Step:

  1. 1. Open PowerShell as Administrator (right-click Start → Windows PowerShell (Admin))
  2. 2. Replace YOUR-FOLDER with the actual path to your folder
  3. 3. Run the command and watch that stubborn file disappear!

Why This Works

The \\?\ prefix tells Windows to bypass normal path parsing and access the file directly. This lets you target reserved names that would normally be blocked.

It's a special Windows feature designed for exactly these edge cases. Pretty neat!