What's a good program to delete locked files?

[Arcadio]

Sometimes spyware and viruses cannot be deleted manually because they are being used by Windows. What's a good utility that deletes them without going into safe mode?

 

[Modelworks]

The easiest way is to use a boot disk that allows you to access the drive without loading windows.
There are numerous ones out there, just search for boot disk.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

close out whatever process is using the file then delete it

 

[Snapster]

Use process explorer to find the process which has a lock on the file. Once found either delete the handle to the file or kill the process, both of which will free the lock on the file allowing you to delete.

 

[Soundmanred]

Unlocker for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003
Copyright (C) 2005-2006 Cedrick Collomb

 

[Canai]

Originally posted by: Soundmanred
Unlocker for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003
Copyright (C) 2005-2006 Cedrick Collomb

Unlocker is :thumbsup:

 

[redbeard1]

Link

Unlocker

 

[Arcadio]

Excellent. Thanks guys.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Canai

Originally posted by: Soundmanred
Unlocker for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003
Copyright (C) 2005-2006 Cedrick Collomb

Unlocker is :thumbsup:

Yep.:thumbsup:

 

[Schadenfroh]

killbox

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Interesting. I used to do this the long way - boot in safe mode.

 

[Soundmanred]

Originally posted by: theprodigalrebel
Interesting. I used to do this the long way - boot in safe mode.

Yup, stuff like this was a pain in the butt before programs like Unlocker.
I have to use it sometimes when using "Safely Remove Hardware" to turn off my external drives. It would tell me the drive was busy and couldn't be removed, etc. I use Unlocker to kill the processes and it works.
Also great for viruses, etc.

 

[Danadcorps]

What is a good program for XP64, cause Unlocker isn't compatible with 64bit.

I need to know beucase when i moved one of my mp3 folders (a perfect circle), it became locked and is saying that it is 0bytes.

 

[Grinja]

Originally posted by: Snapster
Use process explorer to find the process which has a lock on the file. Once found either delete the handle to the file or kill the process, both of which will free the lock on the file allowing you to delete.

:thumbsup:
One of the most usefule utilities I've ever used.

 

[JackBurton]

Great stuff guys!

 

[Danadcorps]

I don't think either of those programs works on xp64 though. Process explorer hasn't found anything using the files or the folder being locked and unlocker just clearly doesn't do anything when prompted to. Are there any file unlocking programs that function not only in 32bit, but also in 64 bit operating systems?