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cannot delete avi's (divx) in windows xp

R

randomlinh

Lifer
i'm getting this a lot now... windows won't let me delete files because "another program is using it." Most of the files are media files (doing mpg->divx convertions) and other media files that have been played. i tried safe mode and they won't go away.... only safemode command prompt seems to work. sorta sucks too because some of the files are "name - afkd.avi" and that dash the console does not like.

Does anyone else have a similar problem to this? I believe i posted something earlier about it.. but never got a real answer (can't find it either..).

Appriciate it, Linh

*added*
well, it seems that it's happening a lot w/ my avi files (all the divx ones.. i dont' have any none divx..). i am using nandub to do a lot of conversions.. my problems seems to have coincided w/ that... but it's all avi's, not just the ones i'm working with, that i have problems with.
 
i know i can't be the only one...

also, i have problems w/ windows not keeping to detailed view for all my folders. it keeps switching to tiles of thumbnail...g rrr. these "little" problems are annoying enough to make me go back to 2k... if it were for the fast user switching...
 
Had the exact same thing happen tonight with a .htm file. Strange, did it even after a reboot. Anyway, I renamed the file, cleared
out my temp files and turned off system restore then it could be deleted. Didn't try deleting after each step so Im sure its one of those
just not sure which.

Good luck.
 
Oh, also for the detailed view problem:

In explorer - tools-->folder options-->view tab-->apply to all folders (when your viewing a current folder in detailed mode).

Make sure and check "remember each folder's view settings" is checked. Keep it unchecked if you occasionally view folders in
thumbnail mode but want it to default to detailed.
Works here.
 
see, i do that (for the view folders thing).. but every so often i'll select a folder.. and boom.. tile view. thumbnail view will happen when i go to a folder full of images (not all the time just at random).

as for the file thing, i've narrowed it down to my divx files it looks like... most of them won't delete...
 
Someone posted an explanation here once, but I can't find it.

I have the same problems but what usually works for me is to delete it again in a different way. What I mean is that if you try to delete the file using the delete key on your keyboard, click ok on the error window, then try deleting it by right clicking then left clicking on delete in the pop up menu.

Doesn't make any sense but it usually works for me.
 
nope, doing it a "different" way dosen't seem to work. and yes, some of my avi's were incomplete... but some were just downloaded, played, and didn't work. If i don't play it, i think it will delete.. haven't tried enough of that yet.

what i don't get is even if i reboot... i still can't delete em.. i don't get it.. not even in safe mode. i need to do safe mode command prompt....
 
To delete it, you need to reboot and as soon as windows loads you have to quickly delete it within like 10 seconds of windows loading. It's a known problem with avi's
 
XP tries to read AVI information on selection, so it will not close file (so that you can delete it) instanly,
it always happens to me if I select and try to delete file within short period of time.
If video file is somewhat damaged (incomplete) XP explorer won't close it at all (bug?).

However, I just delete them from other file manager (like FAR).

BTW, maybe someone knows how to disable this function?
 
to delete or do anything with the file enclose it with quotes



ie

from a dos prompt
example

del "spiderman.avi"


try that
 
dos and quotes does not work. and yes, what is FAR?

and i don't think i can do it w/in 10 seconds of xp booting.. i'd barely make it. maybe.

found out what FAR was....but that doesn't work either.
 
That's weird.
Make sure you don't have any explorer windows open, reboot and try deleting from dos prompt/any other file manager except explorer.

If it still doesn't work, I would kill processes one by one everytime trying to delete file from dos prompt - some one keeps that file open...

FAR
 
Originally posted by: lnguyen
dos and quotes does not work. and yes, what is FAR?

and i don't think i can do it w/in 10 seconds of xp booting.. i'd barely make it. maybe.

found out what FAR was....but that doesn't work either.
Click to expand...



Try to do it as fast as you can. I didn't literally mean 10 seconds, I was trying to say that you just have to do it really fast after booting.
 
Have you first tried to use (Shift + Delete).

This should work. If not let me know and we can begin to go through the hassle of handling the file a different way. Also if this does not work is your disk partitioned?

hope it helps
 
Haden, THANK YOU.. i failed to closed explorer last time i tried to delete using the command prompt. I'm thinking that's it... so far so good.

btw, i did tried killing processes from the begining.. in safe mode.. and killed off everything that windows let me.

 
I get this problem alot, when deleting a file and also renaming one.

Often just re-dropping it in the recycling bin works.

Also, end-tasking "wmiapsrv.exe" helps too.
 
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