Undeletable Files

[WildKat]

I downloaded a couple of files, one .exe and one .avi however they cause my PC to slow down and cannot be deleted. The error message is either program is in use or file cannot be deleted.

Ive booted into safe mode and tried to delete them, but that didnt work either.

Back in the days I wouldve booted into DOS and deleted them but what do I do now?

[SiMoNsAyS]

i've got 0 byte avi and exe files that can not be removed, but for me works this way:

use taskmgr to kill the explorer.exe process, then from taskmgr archive>run and type "cmd.exe" without quotes.

after navigate to your directory "CD C:\.." and from here "del /f /q archive.exe" or "del /f /q archive.avi".

forgot 1 thing, after delete it's complete close the command line and run from taskmgr "explorer.exe" without quotes

works?

Edited September 1, 2004 by SiMoNsAyS

[WildKat]

unfortunately it didnt work

[SiMoNsAyS]

unfortunately it didnt work

there are only 3 solutions that i've got in mind.

1 first one: easier it's to boot from a startup w98se disk on A: and try to delete them from the command prompt.

2 second one: more difficult it's to use a winpe or knoppix (linux livecd) better. then try to delete from there.

3 third one: if the above that not work the last thing it's format

[XtremeMaC]

here's the solution

go to http://www.sysinternals.com

dl process explorer

open the program

go to find handle

type in the name of the file u're trying to delete.

then after it finds click on it and press close handle

and then go an delete it...

[Jose Sigafus]

There are two great programs that will fix the problem. Both are free downloads; do a google search for "MoveOnBoot' or "CopyLock". You can replace, delete, modify ANY file. Be careful what you delete.

[WildKat]

CopyLock has done the trick perfectly! Thanks