Some file won't delete...

Ascendancy · 03-09-2007, 05:40 PM

I have a file on the desktop that says it cannot be deleted because it is being used by some other program. The Unlocker software said that it is being used by something called Explorer (C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe). Any ideas how to delete this file?

mme1 · 03-09-2007, 06:29 PM

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx

download process explorer and right click on explorer
click properties>>thread tab>> look to see whats running the most see if you see this (webcpl.dll)
if you dont post the dll thats running the most we can try to determine if its safe to kill

**Tony.b99** · 03-10-2007, 05:39 AM

Try rebooting and pressing f8 when rebooting then start in safe mode then delete the files then reboot if it dosnt work get back to me

Tony

Ascendancy · 03-10-2007, 07:27 AM

Rebooting in safe mode didn't do anything, and the Process Explorer didn't even show the process running under the Explorer section. However, once I tried to delete the file and the error came up, the process was shown as running, but soon went away.

**Tony.b99** · 03-10-2007, 07:29 AM

Hi

so did it work

of a fashion?

Tony

Ascendancy · 03-10-2007, 07:39 AM

Neither method worked, I don't know what you mean?

**Tony.b99** · 03-10-2007, 07:42 AM

go into windows (safe mode) of your desktop and immediatly to the files that wont delete then delete,

**Deleted090308** · 03-10-2007, 07:44 AM

Hi!
Did you scan for malware?

Nicholas

Ascendancy · 03-10-2007, 09:26 AM

Yea I recently did a system clean up for malware, so I don't think it would be that.

And Tony, that's what I did already and it didn't work.

_Icarus · 03-10-2007, 09:48 AM

First of all, what the file name and what message is it giving you when you try to delete?

I've had this problem before. There are a couple things you can try.

If you have the Windows XP CD that came with your computer, you can boot into recovery console. To do this, insert the CD and keep pressing F12 until the CD starts loading.

In the recovery console, locate the file. This is pretty much a dos prompt. You can see the directory you're in by typing "dir," and you can move into a directory by typing "cd directoryname." If you want to move back out of a directory, type "cd .."

So, you can simply try deleting the file when you locate it in the directory by typing "del filename.extension" ... if this doesn't work, type "attrib filename.extension" and tell me what attributes it shows.

You may also want to try either Delete FXP Files (http://www.jrtwine.com/Products/DelFXPFiles/) or MoveOnBoot (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/moveonboot.html). Also, if you have Hijack This! installed, it has a delete on reboot utility under advanced options.

Let me know if these work.

Ascendancy · 03-10-2007, 09:54 AM

Yup, Delete FXP Files worked great! Thanks for your help.

_Icarus · 03-10-2007, 09:55 AM

Not a problem. Thanks for posting :o )

03-09-2007, 05:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ascendancy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 138 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2	Some file won't delete... I have a file on the desktop that says it cannot be deleted because it is being used by some other program. The Unlocker software said that it is being used by something called Explorer (C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe). Any ideas how to delete this file?

03-10-2007, 05:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
Tony.b99 Tony (Burnley FC) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burnley uk Posts: 1,278 OS: xp	cant delete files Try rebooting and pressing f8 when rebooting then start in safe mode then delete the files then reboot if it dosnt work get back to me Tony

03-10-2007, 07:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tony.b99 Tony (Burnley FC) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burnley uk Posts: 1,278 OS: xp	deleting files Hi so did it work of a fashion? Tony

03-10-2007, 07:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
Tony.b99 Tony (Burnley FC) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burnley uk Posts: 1,278 OS: xp	remove files go into windows (safe mode) of your desktop and immediatly to the files that wont delete then delete,

03-09-2007, 06:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
mme1 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 6 OS: xp pro	http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys...sExplorer.mspx download process explorer and right click on explorer click properties>>thread tab>> look to see whats running the most see if you see this (webcpl.dll) if you dont post the dll thats running the most we can try to determine if its safe to kill

03-10-2007, 07:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ascendancy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 138 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2	Rebooting in safe mode didn't do anything, and the Process Explorer didn't even show the process running under the Explorer section. However, once I tried to delete the file and the error came up, the process was shown as running, but soon went away.

03-10-2007, 07:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ascendancy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 138 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2	Neither method worked, I don't know what you mean?

03-10-2007, 07:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,280 OS: Xp	Hi! Did you scan for malware? Nicholas

03-10-2007, 09:26 AM	#9 (permalink)
Ascendancy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 138 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2	Yea I recently did a system clean up for malware, so I don't think it would be that. And Tony, that's what I did already and it didn't work.

03-10-2007, 09:48 AM	#10 (permalink)
_Icarus Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 198 OS: Windows XP Professional/Mac OSX	First of all, what the file name and what message is it giving you when you try to delete? I've had this problem before. There are a couple things you can try. If you have the Windows XP CD that came with your computer, you can boot into recovery console. To do this, insert the CD and keep pressing F12 until the CD starts loading. In the recovery console, locate the file. This is pretty much a dos prompt. You can see the directory you're in by typing "dir," and you can move into a directory by typing "cd directoryname." If you want to move back out of a directory, type "cd .." So, you can simply try deleting the file when you locate it in the directory by typing "del filename.extension" ... if this doesn't work, type "attrib filename.extension" and tell me what attributes it shows. You may also want to try either Delete FXP Files (http://www.jrtwine.com/Products/DelFXPFiles/) or MoveOnBoot (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/moveonboot.html). Also, if you have Hijack This! installed, it has a delete on reboot utility under advanced options. Let me know if these work.

03-10-2007, 09:54 AM	#11 (permalink)
Ascendancy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 138 OS: Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2	Yup, Delete FXP Files worked great! Thanks for your help.

03-10-2007, 09:55 AM	#12 (permalink)
_Icarus Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 198 OS: Windows XP Professional/Mac OSX	Not a problem. Thanks for posting :o )