wonwinglo

Can anyone please work this one out please ?
I have a file on my desktop called 'useful' I have been using it to store pictures,now I need to delete the file having moved the pictures elsewhere,but every time I try to either delete it,or move it out of the way it comes up with this legend-
'Cannot delete 'useful' it is being used by another person or programme.Close any programmes that might be using the file and try again'
Well I did a search for anything else called or including 'useful' in it but it only found the one on my desktop ? I have never come across this before.
Can anyone throw any light on why it will not allow me to either move or delete this file please ?

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

John

Sometimes just a reboot will let you delete it, if that doesn't work boot in to safe mode, I did have a program that let you delete them but I can't find it, will carry on looking if you don't sort it

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John

Found it http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

tigertc

Use "open with" and open the picture with notepad, then rename the file and save then delete...ET voila ...deleted!
IGNORE..taint right as john has pointed out....my memory aint what it used to be.

John

But if you open it and save it with a different name doesn't it then become another file? you would just have 2 files

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tigertc

Sorry its a long time since i did it last....iopen with notepad then save with same name then delete
or try this, i knew it had something to do with renaming.

1.) I had a .avi file that I couldn't delete (pieceofcrapfile.avi) in my download folder.
2.) I created a new .txt file (pieceofcrapfile.txt) on my desktop and wrote some crap in it. ex. "I COMMAND YOU TO DELETE!"
3.) I renamed the file that i created on my desktop from pieceofcrapfile.txt to pieceofcrapfile.avi
4.) I moved the new file to my download folder, and windows asked me if I would like to replace the existing file with the new dummy file. (CLICK YES)
5.) After I replaced the file I was able to delete the .avi file.
Good Luck

wonwinglo

***Spot on John,I re-booted,deleted it no problem,but thanks for all of the suggestions as I am sure things could have been worse,funny little quirk that one,it must have held something in memory ?

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

squiffythewombat

For future ref you can delete sturborn files using command prompt (type "CMD" into the run line from start menu)

rjwood_uk

to go into a little more detail than squiffy has, once in the command prompt,

usualy with xp it will say c:\Documents and Settings\"user name"\

e.g. for barries problem..

type this in (obviously finding out what your user name is under ...take a look in c:\documents and settings.) then type

delete c:\documents and settings\"user name"\deskop\useful

if you cant remember the name but you know which directory its in, type in the directory, press enter, then type "dir" and it will list all folders in the directory (well at least it did last time i used cmd, havnt for a long time though)

oh and terry, after all your sugestions for how to delete a file, even though barry said file i think he ment folder (correct me if im wrong barry)

wonwinglo

Yes correct RJW,it was in fact a folder,well if it ever happens again I will certainly be well armed with these fixes,thank you one and all.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/