Thread: Can't Delete File

Heve you tried renaming its extension to say .txt and then deleting?

I mislead you a bit, it is a folder containing several other folders with files in them. I did try renaming it but no luck. I also tried deleting any file at random and that failed. Nothing within the folder can be deleted. Apparently this can occur if you have a very deep folder structure but this is only two folders deep. I have edited my original post to say folder, sorry about that.

Try right click
properties
unselect 'read only'
click ok


Then try to delete

If the file is in use (maybe widows update is holding on to it) then maybe restart in 'safe mode' to delete.

To get in safe mode hit F8 just before windows starts and you will get a menu to select safe mode.

http://www.freewarefiles.com/Unlocke...ram_13477.html

Try the above program.

It's not a protected operating system folder is it??

Provided you are certain that it is not files being used by the operating system it could be the security settings on the files...

Right click on the folder and choose properties
Then select security and then the advanced button
Click on ownership and make sure you are the owner
Also click on the check box to give yourself ownership of the container and all sub containers (parent file and all child files)

Now click ok and close all dialog boxes down then try and delete the folder again.

There are some other problems that can occur due to file names.


Another approach is to try and isolate the file(s) that are causing the problem.
Open the parent folder and try one by one to delete the folders within it. Keep deleting folders until you find the one(s) that won't delete. Open those folders and try deleteing the files in those until you narrow it down to the one(s) causing the problem and then you can try the above procedure.

Another thing you could try once you have narrowed it down is to try renaming it to something simpler.

(Reasons for some of these problems include too many folders/files in a folder.... very long file names or illegal characters, or programs/users somehow changing the ownership/security settings)

Hope this helps,

Chipman

Originally Posted by Master Splinter

http://www.freewarefiles.com/Unlocke...ram_13477.html

Try the above program.

It's not a protected operating system folder is it??

I tried that and it went through its incantation on start up but nothing happened. I also renamed it to "1" and no dice either. Nothing can be deleted inside the parent folder be it folder or individual files. I have never set up individual accounts on this computer so I guess ownership should not be an issue but I will check it out. It only holds data files so has nothing to do with the OS at all. Unlocker should delete it before the computer boots but it certainly fell down on the job this time. I guess it is only a series of .BAT files that start before the WIN .exe file starts, attempts to delete the file at the C prompt then fires up WIN .exe when it is finished. Keep the suggestions coming, someone may have the answer. Thanks.

Originally Posted by blackhole

Try right click
properties
unselect 'read only'
click ok


Then try to delete

I tried that really early in the peace, no go either.

Originally Posted by Chipman

Right click on the folder and choose properties
Then select security and then the advanced button
Click on ownership and make sure you are the owner
Also click on the check box to give yourself ownership of the container and all sub containers (parent file and all child files)

No dice, bummer. The advanced tab does not have an ownership option and I guess that is because I have never set up accounts. Something else I tried was to try and move it to another drive and it refuses to be moved but I can move it on the drive it is on. It also won't allow me to change attributes but then XP has always been a bit dodgy when it comes to attributes in my experience. The error I get is denied access or file in use. Nothing gives me the Tom Tits and this is the closest thing to nothing I have ever seen.

What is the folder name?

If you're SURE it is not a system folder, and does not contain a running program or service, here is a method to help isolate the problem:

* Expand the directory tree in Explorer
* Delete the files from the lower directories
* Delete each directory after the files it contains have been deleted

Does that help to isolate the directory and/or file?

Ron.

Ron, all it contains are folders one layer deep and they have embroidery data files in them. I cannot delete anything, not one file from any folder and the whole lot is about 10 gig so there are thousands of files in their respective folders. I have picked files at random from any folder and nothing can be deleted.

Here's a long winded way to do it...

• Create a BartPE CD - http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
• Boot from the BartPE CD
• Delete files on hard drive

Hopefully whatever is stopping the delete is resident on the hard drive and not as some weird part of the file properties. If that doesn't work, it's time to download a Linux bootable CD of your choice and nuke it with that. (Linux will read the NTFS file structure but doesn't care all that much about respecting Windows permissions, so it should let you do what you want!)

It may be worth opening the task manager and checking if there is a process running which uses one or some of those files. Maybe launches on start up. If there is and you kill the process, you should be able to delete the files.
TM

An interesting problem.

Please follow the steps in the following document:

http://www.winxptutor.com/ownership.htm

Make sure that you follow the PREREQUISITES, then the section to take ownership of a FOLDER.

Let us know what happens after taking all these steps. If any step fails, please take a note of the exact error message.

My reply might be slow. I'm at the airport waiting for a flight to Sydney, but I'll be here for a little while yet.

Ron.