How To Delete An Undeleatable File

[Cheese 0]

This is only for Windows Operating System.

 

First:Take note and copy the filename of that problematic file including the extension name, if you are not aware of the extension name, open My Computer, at the top menu click on Tools, then Folder Options, go to View Section and uncheck “Hide Extensions for known file types”. Click Apply and OK to exit, you should now see the whole filename.

 

Now, open Notepad then create a file, you don’t need to put anything on it, save it with a filename that is the same as the undeletable file in a different folder (if shall we say you have undeletable abc.avi then name the txt file as abc.avi, it will prompt you if you’re sure about this, just press yes).

 

Windows will now see the same file as the undeletable one, copy this on the same directory wherein the undeletable file is located and overwrite it. After that you can now delete the file.

 

Second: Open a command prompt window and leave it open. Close all open programs. Click Start, Run and enter TASKMGR.EXE - go to the Processes tab and End Process on Explorer.exe. Leave Task Manager open. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory the AVI (or other undeletable file) is located in. At the command prompt type DEL <filename> where <filename> is the file you wish to delete. Go back to Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the GUI shell. Close Task Manager.

 

Third: main problem with 'undeletable files' is that they are read only. other possibility is that they are in use by a process, quite possible a windows required process. to get rid of that, you can also write an app (or find one) to delete it on startup, before the process that uses the file is called.

 

Fourth: Another method that sure works is to boot up your computer to DOS mode. And delete the file(s) like working on a command prompt.

 

Loading Windows makes alot of system files undeletable.

Otherwise, use HijackThis program.

I hope you guys can delete it now... If nothing helps... FORMAT C: xD

 

Notice from serverph:

copied content from posts by other Xisto members from thread of same topic. quotes added, credits reduced. warning served.

Edited September 1, 2006 by serverph (see edit history)

[serverph 0]

this is already tackled in this thread here:
http://forums.xisto.com/topic/30159-how-to-delete-an-undeleatable-file-on-your-computer/

and obviously ALL of the suggestions posted by cheese above are rehashed from the same suggestions posted by other members. didn't think you'd get caught CHEESE?

CLOSED. WARNING SERVED.