Answers to how to remove the sparsefile file attribute appear to revolve around:
fsutil sparse setflag <filename> 0|1
This does not work for me.
I am on Windows 7 Pro 32-bit NTFS, as an administrator, using an elevated command prompt.
Following the various other answers, my last fail was as follows:
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil file createnew test.nul 1048576
File C:\_DELETEME\test.nul is created
C:\_DELETEME>dir
Volume in drive C is Default
Volume Serial Number is 4CC9-A1B7
Directory of C:\_DELETEME
04/11/2015 08:16 <DIR> .
04/11/2015 08:16 <DIR> ..
...
04/11/2015 08:16 1,048,576 test.nul
...
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse queryflag .\test.nul
This file is NOT set as sparse
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse setflag .\test.nul
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse queryflag .\test.nul
This file is set as sparse
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse setrange .\test.nul 0 1048576
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse queryflag .\test.nul
This file is set as sparse
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse setflag .\test.nul 0
Usage : fsutil sparse setflag <filename>
Eg : fsutil sparse setflag C:\Temp\sample.txt
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse queryflag .\test.nul
This file is set as sparse
All evidence I've seen to date seems to indicate setflag accepts no parameters other than a file(path), e.g.:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/cc788025.aspx
C:\_DELETEME>fsutil sparse setflag .\test.nul 0
Usage : fsutil sparse setflag <filename>
Eg : fsutil sparse setflag C:\Temp\sample.txt
Does anyone know how to remove/unset this attribute, idealy programaticaly (I'm looking to automate a P$ script using sdelete, sparsefiles seem to take ages)?
Or can you divine my schoolboy error?