Stubborn file won't let me remove it.

[weEvil]

I have a directory that won't remove itself. There is a nasty file running in there that crashes the system whenever I try to remove it. Its a trojan or some crap.

Any small app that will let me remove it? I've tried unlocker, and advanced file remover. No luck.

Edited January 16, 2008 by brucevangeorge

[Glenn9999]

Unlocker is the one I like to use for this (removes the file locks like in Explorer, too). Killbox is another one I read about that's spoken highly of.

[DigeratiPrime]

Use Process Explorer, use Find (Ctrl+F) type in the name of the nasty file, that will bring up a list of dlls and/or handles, the latter you can click on and it will jump to the handle in the main window lower pane and highlight it, you can then right click on it and close the handle. Malware and Viruses usually open many handles in multiple, including system, processes. For that you can double click on a process, go the the Threads tab, and kill those threads. Then try releasing the handle and it should work.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb896653.aspx

http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/ProcessExplorer.zip

[ceez]

like Glenn9999 said, unlocker is pretty good. I use it at home and even incorporated it on some of our 2003 file servers at work. sometimes just files dont want to delete or rename because some computer on the network has a lock on them....this will let us do what we need with the file.

[Glenn9999]

The other thought, maybe....does this file have an illegal character in it (to Windows)? A lot of times, files can have illegal characters in their names for Windows, but legal ones to other operating systems, like DOS. In fact, I just tried that on my Windows and got an undeletable (in Explorer) file out of it.

If all else fails, try going into the command prompt and renaming it. Like for ABC<unprintablechar>.txt, use "ren ABC?????.TXT".

Other possibility: a corrupt drive (chkdsk /f to fix that).

Edited January 16, 2008 by Glenn9999

[IcemanND]

Two other possibilities for deletion.

1. Boot from PE (type you pick) and delete the file offline of the installed OS.

2. XP Pro Only - turn off simple file sharing. set permissions on the offending folder so that NO user has access to it in any way, so no users will be listed. Reboot system, add just the logged on user to have full permission to the folder and then delete. The idea being that if no one has rights the executables can be executed then when you add permissions nothing inside will be in use and the folder can be deleted.

[RJM]

MoveOnBoot - Move or delete on next boot.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/moveonboot.html