Un-deletable file

[Gnoad]

I was browsing the AMD website the other day lookinf for the coolnquiet driver when i found a program that looked similar to cpu-z, telling you your cpu info. So I download it to see what its like, and its buggy as hell. So I go to delete, and I get the message: "Cannot delete cpuinfo: It is being used by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using the file and try again." Well, I have nothing opened! So I end task everything I can end task, still no go. I boot into safe mode, can't delete. How do I get rid of this thing?

 

[MustISO]

Check the registry and see if it's starting when windows starts.
HKLM\software\Microsoft\Windows\currentversion\run.

 

[Gnoad]

nope, it aint listed there. I can't find anything anywhere using this program, and most definitely isn't running.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Look in Windows Manager and the processes and make sure it is not running under another name. Also check the file properties on the program and make sure they are not set to read-only

 

[Gnoad]

Again, no luck. This is seriously pissing me off. I also just started windows in diagnostic startup, load basic devices and services only. Still won't delete.

 

[linster]

Boot into safemode with command prompt and use the "del" command.

 

[The J]

The followind assumes you have Windows XP:

1. Restart your computer and boot into Safe Mode.
2. Look for the name of the file as the directory it is in and either remember that or write it down.
3. Close all windows.
4. Go to Start, click Run..., type in cmd and hit Enter.
5. You should see a command prompt. Type in cd\[location of file]. Example: If the file is in C:\Program Files\Junk, then you would type cd\program files\junk and hit Enter.
6. Open the Task Manager. Find the process explorer.exe and end it. Your taskbar will go away.
7. Back in the command prompt window, type in del [filename] and hit Enter. For example, if the file is called "CPUID.exe", then type in del cpuid.exe and hit Enter. You'll know that it was deleted if you are returned to the command prompt will no message. You can type in dir to verify this.
8. Open Task Manager again and click on File at the top and then Run.... Type in explorer.exe in the box and press Enter. The taskbar will return. Shutdown and restart. You should be okay now.

Hope this helps.

 

[Gnoad]

Originally posted by: linster
Boot into safemode with command prompt and use the "del" command.

At the command prompt, what should I type? Its located on my desktop, so I tried "del C:\Documents and Settings\user\desktop\cpuinfo". replace user with my username. Says cannot find target. What did I miss?

 

[Gnoad]

Originally posted by: The J
The followind assumes you have Windows XP:

1. Restart your computer and boot into Safe Mode.
2. Look for the name of the file as the directory it is in and either remember that or write it down.
3. Close all windows.
4. Go to Start, click Run..., type in cmd and hit Enter.
5. You should see a command prompt. Type in cd\[location of file]. Example: If the file is in C:\Program Files\Junk, then you would type cd\program files\junk and hit Enter.
6. Open the Task Manager. Find the process explorer.exe and end it. Your taskbar will go away.
7. Back in the command prompt window, type in del [filename] and hit Enter. For example, if the file is called "CPUID.exe", then type in del cpuid.exe and hit Enter. You'll know that it was deleted if you are returned to the command prompt will no message. You can type in dir to verify this.
8. Open Task Manager again and click on File at the top and then Run.... Type in explorer.exe in the box and press Enter. The taskbar will return. Shutdown and restart. You should be okay now.

Hope this helps.

AHA!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[The J]

No problem. That works for any file, so you can use it to delete spyware and such as well.

 

[linster]

Explorer doesn't boot if you pick safemode with command prompt. He probably could have deleted the file had he included the .exe extention.