Help, I Cannot Delete Files

 

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About Windows XP And File Deletion Problems
Windows XP may have its problems and may throw up some particularly unusual error messages when you are doing seemingly innocuous things, but in many cases Windows is doing this for a reason. One particular problem that seems to be especially prevalent in Windows XP is an inability to delete files because they are apparently in use by another program or another user. In a lot of cases this may be true without you actually knowing it but in other cases it is simply a case of XP getting it wrong. There are, however, several steps you can take to ensure the proper deletion of the file.

Common File Deletion Errors
There are four common error messages that you will receive, usually after a short delay, or following the “Deleting file” dialogue box. “File Access Denied”, “File In Use”, and “Cannot Delete File” are the most common. Some will include a seemingly senseless explanation or reason for the problem. While these reasons are genuine and may mean a lot to programmers and technicians they rarely explain the problem properly to novice or inexperienced users. It is important to run through these steps in order to ensure that you are not deleting a file that is genuinely being used. Deleting files that are in use could mean you are deleting a system file or other important file.

Closing All Related Files And Applications
Close any applications that are related to the file in question. This ensures that you aren’t using the file and also ensures that the applications themselves are no longer using the file. It is common for some programs, like Word and Excel, to essentially hold on to the file despite you having fully closed it. In other cases, it is possible that you still have the file open. Closing all the relevant applications, having saved any open work, should ensure that none of these are true. Once all applications are closed attempt to delete the file again.

Renaming And Deleting
Try renaming the file and then deleting it. In some cases you may receive the same error message as when you try to delete the file, but in other cases this will do the trick. AVI files are particularly prone to access errors and by renaming the file you can basically trick Windows into allowing you to fully and properly delete it.

Restarting Your Computer
Restart your computer. Before opening any applications, programs, or files, open Windows Explorer, locate the file and attempt to delete it. Some programs run when you start your computer and may be referencing the file you are attempting to delete. By quickly performing the delete command you may be able to bypass this problem. You may also consider starting in Safe mode. Restarting your computer in Safe mode reduces the number of programs and processes that start with your computer.

Changing Windows Explorer View Options
Right click the “Start” menu and select “Explore All Users”. When the explorer window displays choose the “View” menu and select the “Choose Details” option. Ensure that only the “File Name” option is checked and then attempt to delete the file. This prevents Windows from attempting to read and reference the file.

Using Free Third Party Software
There are third party applications available on the Internet that are free to use and enable you to move, rename, and delete a wide range of files. If you are experiencing difficulties in deleting any file type then look for file deletion software and follow the instructions given. Usually file deletion applications are very simple to use and will delete the file as your computer restarts. This bypasses almost all of the potential reasons that might be preventing you from deleting any file and should work where the previous steps have failed.

Spyware And Virus Attacks
Should the problem persist and the file reinstalls or consistently undeletes itself then there is a good chance you have contracted a virus or picked up a spyware application from somewhere. In these cases you will need to get a good anti-spyware or anti-virus application to get the job done.

File Deletion Problems
Windows XP is a popular operating system used by individuals and companies around the world. While it offers ease and power for most users, it is not without its problems. In particular, XP seems prone to access problems when attempting to delete files. In a lot of cases there is no obvious reason why these files cannot be deleted. There are, however, several manual steps that can be taken to ensure a complete deletion of any problem files. The alternative is to use free file deletion software that can be easily found on the Internet.