I can't delete this file in Win XP. I've tried in both normal and safe mode but it always says "Cannot delete file it may be in use" ect ect. I check the taskmanager for any processes that aren't strictly system related and there's nothing. I've tried the command line but whenever I type in the file name and directory to delete it says "Cannot find file specified." I've run out of ideas now. Thanks in advance for any help.
Can't delete a file in Win XP
- Thread starter Slapus
- Start date
i have the same problem...absolutely no way (i know of) to solve it.
all i did was make a folder in the windows directory called 'windows sucks' and dropped the file in there...you can copy the file, just not delete..u can move it too as long as it's on the same drive.
all i did was make a folder in the windows directory called 'windows sucks' and dropped the file in there...you can copy the file, just not delete..u can move it too as long as it's on the same drive.
I know XP wont let me delete a file if the + next to it is a - sign showing the folders inside that folder.
I have to have all of the - signs in the folder changed to + signs, so theres no directories open inside the folder im trying to delete, then XP will let me delete it.
I assume if any directories are open WinXP considers any files in that folder "in Use".
Can you rename the file?
Are you using WinXP home edition or XP Pro?
I do recall having trouble deleting files in XP Home, but I havent encountered that problem once since I moved to WinXP Pro.
Theres a pretty big thread on this board about this exact problem.
Im not sure anyone ever solved it, most people eventually got the file deleted but were never exactly sure what they changed to make it possible.
Try doing a search & see if a thread with a similar problem turns up.
If I find it, I'll post a link here, but with so many threads on anandtech it may be hard to track down.
I never had to actually solve the problem since I moved to WinXP Pro Corporate shortly after I had XP Home.
I never seen the problem in THIS version of WinXP since I installed.
I have to have all of the - signs in the folder changed to + signs, so theres no directories open inside the folder im trying to delete, then XP will let me delete it.
I assume if any directories are open WinXP considers any files in that folder "in Use".
Can you rename the file?
Are you using WinXP home edition or XP Pro?
I do recall having trouble deleting files in XP Home, but I havent encountered that problem once since I moved to WinXP Pro.
Theres a pretty big thread on this board about this exact problem.
Im not sure anyone ever solved it, most people eventually got the file deleted but were never exactly sure what they changed to make it possible.
Try doing a search & see if a thread with a similar problem turns up.
If I find it, I'll post a link here, but with so many threads on anandtech it may be hard to track down.
I never had to actually solve the problem since I moved to WinXP Pro Corporate shortly after I had XP Home.
I never seen the problem in THIS version of WinXP since I installed.
Here, try this....
1st be sure the file isnt READ ONLY & try deleting it again.
If that still doesnt work, try this....
Create a new folder, or move the file into a folder that you don't need, and then delete the folder.
1st be sure the file isnt READ ONLY & try deleting it again.
If that still doesnt work, try this....
Create a new folder, or move the file into a folder that you don't need, and then delete the folder.
<<
Can you rename the file?
Are you using WinXP home edition or XP Pro?
>>
No and and XP Pro. I tried some of your methods but I can't move the file and none of them worked.
<< Just boot with a Win98 boot disk and delete it through DOS
>>that should work
except does the Win98 boot disk support NTFS (if his hard disk is ntfs)???<< Just boot with a Win98 boot disk and delete it through DOS
>>Ok I'll try that next. Off to www.bootdisk.com I go
edit: Well when I tried to access c: from the command line of the 98 boot disk it said "Invalid drive specification." Also earlier I tried to use the XP Recovery Console to delete this file but it started in C:\Windows and would only let me access files and folders in C:\Windows. This doesn't help as the file I need to delete is in a folder on my desktop. Whenever I tried to access that folder or any folder aside from Windows or a subfolder in Windows it told me "Access is denied." So is there any way around that?
Thanks for your help so far guys.
to save you some hassle...this is what i did, and none of them worked.
1) booted into safe mode, administrator account....the file is NOT read-only...it has no attributes at all. (removed them)...didn't work
2) booted into safe mode, my own account (with admin level access)...no go
3) tried moving the file to another drive via both command line and explorer, no go...tried deleting too, no go...
4) booted into safe mode, COMMAND PROMPT only...tried to delete it, no go.
5) tried deleting it from a lower-order folder using the del /s command...no go.
6) boot disk won't work on NTFS partitions...if you have a util from sysinternals (winternals) you can access NTFS partitions from win9x/ME, but i'm not sure if that would work...u'll need the full version (costs cash) too...the shareware only allows you to read NTFS partitions.
i mean, what else could you try without formatting or repartitioning or smashing the blasted thing against bill gate's face???
give up...MAKE THE FOLDER..you know windows sucks.
EDIT:
7) i aborted EVERY process running (I think every one?) except a command window for attempting to delete the file...so nothing could've been using but the core of windows itself...still couldn't delete teh goddamn thing.
1) booted into safe mode, administrator account....the file is NOT read-only...it has no attributes at all. (removed them)...didn't work
2) booted into safe mode, my own account (with admin level access)...no go
3) tried moving the file to another drive via both command line and explorer, no go...tried deleting too, no go...
4) booted into safe mode, COMMAND PROMPT only...tried to delete it, no go.
5) tried deleting it from a lower-order folder using the del /s command...no go.
6) boot disk won't work on NTFS partitions...if you have a util from sysinternals (winternals) you can access NTFS partitions from win9x/ME, but i'm not sure if that would work...u'll need the full version (costs cash) too...the shareware only allows you to read NTFS partitions.
i mean, what else could you try without formatting or repartitioning or smashing the blasted thing against bill gate's face???
give up...MAKE THE FOLDER..you know windows sucks.
EDIT:
7) i aborted EVERY process running (I think every one?) except a command window for attempting to delete the file...so nothing could've been using but the core of windows itself...still couldn't delete teh goddamn thing.
Try this...
(This is off the top of my head, but should be mostly correct)
I think your problem has something to do with permissions...
I don't know why but I remember having a similar problem...
What I ended up having to do (and have done every XP install from then on) is disable Simple File Sharing.
Open My Computer / Windows Explorer --> Tools --> Options --> and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended).
Then when you right click on the file (as an Administrator) you should be able to give yourself or another user read/write/execute permissions (therefore allowing you to delete the file).
Let me know if this helps (like I said its off the dome and I haven't had the problem in a while).
(This is off the top of my head, but should be mostly correct)
I think your problem has something to do with permissions...
I don't know why but I remember having a similar problem...
What I ended up having to do (and have done every XP install from then on) is disable Simple File Sharing.
Open My Computer / Windows Explorer --> Tools --> Options --> and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended).
Then when you right click on the file (as an Administrator) you should be able to give yourself or another user read/write/execute permissions (therefore allowing you to delete the file).
Let me know if this helps (like I said its off the dome and I haven't had the problem in a while).
<< Try this...
(This is off the top of my head, but should be mostly correct)
I think your problem has something to do with permissions...
I don't know why but I remember having a similar problem...
What I ended up having to do (and have done every XP install from then on) is disable Simple File Sharing.
Open My Computer / Windows Explorer --> Tools --> Options --> and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing (Recommended).
Then when you right click on the file (as an Administrator) you should be able to give yourself or another user read/write/execute permissions (therefore allowing you to delete the file).
Let me know if this helps (like I said its off the dome and I haven't had the problem in a while). >>
SUCCESS! You sir, are a god. And to everyone else thanks for your help.
nullshark
Platinum Member
- Oct 28, 1999
- 2,235
- 0
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Woohoo afropick!
I've had that disabled since I first installed XP so I didn't know this was a side effect but awesome call.
<Well when I tried to access c: from the command line of the 98 boot disk it said "Invalid drive specification.">
That is soooo strange, if your drive volume is not NTFS, I have no idae why that would happen... Anybody else? (Of course, if your C: volume is NTFS, then the Win98 bootdisk wouldn't be able to do sh*t, there)
Anyway, glad it worked
I've had that disabled since I first installed XP so I didn't know this was a side effect but awesome call.
<Well when I tried to access c: from the command line of the 98 boot disk it said "Invalid drive specification.">
That is soooo strange, if your drive volume is not NTFS, I have no idae why that would happen... Anybody else? (Of course, if your C: volume is NTFS, then the Win98 bootdisk wouldn't be able to do sh*t, there)
Anyway, glad it worked
uh, we must have entirely different problems then...cuz mine is unchecked (always has been) and still no go...
of course, i am getting a different msg than u...says disk space might be low or something...another file says that it might be corrupt or unreadable...
i checked my disk for errors - none.
hmmm. [the serach goes on]
of course, i am getting a different msg than u...says disk space might be low or something...another file says that it might be corrupt or unreadable...
i checked my disk for errors - none.
hmmm. [the serach goes on]
<< Woohoo afropick!
I've had that disabled since I first installed XP so I didn't know this was a side effect but awesome call.
<Well when I tried to access c: from the command line of the 98 boot disk it said "Invalid drive specification.">
That is soooo strange, if your drive volume is not NTFS, I have no idae why that would happen... Anybody else? (Of course, if your C: volume is NTFS, then the Win98 bootdisk wouldn't be able to do sh*t, there)
Anyway, glad it worked
>>Yeah my drive volume is NTFS.
Is the file an AVI file? If so, there's a known bug/issue that causes XP to attempt to scan the file (for preview, or to gain the "info" that it displays when you select properties) and it'll 'hang' and leave the file in an in-use state in same cases. I think this is usually caused by AVIs that are somewhat out-of-spec, or at least not quite in-spec as far as Microsoft is concerned.
To delete the file, open a command prompt. Then use task manager to kill explorer.exe, and delete the files from the command prompt. Then use task manager to restart explorer.exe.
To delete the file, open a command prompt. Then use task manager to kill explorer.exe, and delete the files from the command prompt. Then use task manager to restart explorer.exe.
<< Is the file an AVI file? If so, there's a known bug/issue that causes XP to attempt to scan the file (for preview, or to gain the "info" that it displays when you select properties) and it'll 'hang' and leave the file in an in-use state in same cases. I think this is usually caused by AVIs that are somewhat out-of-spec, or at least not quite in-spec as far as Microsoft is concerned.
To delete the file, open a command prompt. Then use task manager to kill explorer.exe, and delete the files from the command prompt. Then use task manager to restart explorer.exe. >>
Yeah it was an avi. Thanks for that info, it might come in handy in the future.
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