Regulary can't delete folders

[Guest Poster Matt]

Hi,

 

I regulary can't delete a folder from Explorer, I get the error:

 

'Can't delete FOLDER_NAME it is being used by another process. Close any

programs that might be using the file and try again'.

 

This happens with a wide veriety of folders and, after a while or a

reboot, I can delete the folder as normal. Now I would expect this to

happen when a file in the folder, or in a sub-folder of it, is open and

in use by some software - but it's not, and I have checked in 'task

manager' to make sure that the software's process is ended (because if

the process has stayed alive this would explain my problem, but it hasn't).

 

To further confuse me - I have been able to delete all the files in a

folder which I can't delete, but then not been able to delete the folder

itself (my Explorer settings show all hidden and system files so I'm

sure the folder is empty).

 

In desperation I've also tried using another file manager, a downloaded

piece of freeware, and that too fails to delete the folder.

 

How can I sort this out? It is very annoying.

 

Many thanks, regards, etc..

[Guest Terry R.]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

The date and time was 2/18/2008 7:14 AM, and on a whim, Poster Matt

pounded out on the keyboard:

> Hi,

>

> I regulary can't delete a folder from Explorer, I get the error:

>

> 'Can't delete FOLDER_NAME it is being used by another process. Close any

> programs that might be using the file and try again'.

>

> This happens with a wide veriety of folders and, after a while or a

> reboot, I can delete the folder as normal. Now I would expect this to

> happen when a file in the folder, or in a sub-folder of it, is open and

> in use by some software - but it's not, and I have checked in 'task

> manager' to make sure that the software's process is ended (because if

> the process has stayed alive this would explain my problem, but it hasn't).

>

> To further confuse me - I have been able to delete all the files in a

> folder which I can't delete, but then not been able to delete the folder

> itself (my Explorer settings show all hidden and system files so I'm

> sure the folder is empty).

>

> In desperation I've also tried using another file manager, a downloaded

> piece of freeware, and that too fails to delete the folder.

>

> How can I sort this out? It is very annoying.

>

> Many thanks, regards, etc..

 

Hi Matt,

 

Are you disabling antivirus scanning or programs of that nature in your

testing also? If files or folders are being scanned, the same issue can

happen.

 

With so many different programs out there, troubleshooting becomes a

trial and error matter. You start by disabling everything and then

introducing one at a time until the problem starts again.

 

--

Terry R.

 

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[Guest Poster Matt]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

Terry R. wrote:

> The date and time was 2/18/2008 7:14 AM, and on a whim, Poster Matt

> pounded out on the keyboard:

>

>> Hi,

>>

>> I regulary can't delete a folder from Explorer, I get the error:

>>

>> 'Can't delete FOLDER_NAME it is being used by another process. Close

>> any programs that might be using the file and try again'.

>>

>> This happens with a wide veriety of folders and, after a while or a

>> reboot, I can delete the folder as normal. Now I would expect this to

>> happen when a file in the folder, or in a sub-folder of it, is open

>> and in use by some software - but it's not, and I have checked in

>> 'task manager' to make sure that the software's process is ended

>> (because if the process has stayed alive this would explain my

>> problem, but it hasn't).

>>

>> To further confuse me - I have been able to delete all the files in a

>> folder which I can't delete, but then not been able to delete the

>> folder itself (my Explorer settings show all hidden and system files

>> so I'm sure the folder is empty).

>>

>> In desperation I've also tried using another file manager, a

>> downloaded piece of freeware, and that too fails to delete the folder.

>>

>> How can I sort this out? It is very annoying.

>>

>> Many thanks, regards, etc..

>

> Hi Matt,

>

> Are you disabling antivirus scanning or programs of that nature in your

> testing also? If files or folders are being scanned, the same issue can

> happen.

>

> With so many different programs out there, troubleshooting becomes a

> trial and error matter. You start by disabling everything and then

> introducing one at a time until the problem starts again.

>

 

Thanks Terry. But no, no virus/malware/etc. scans in progress at all.

The problem with testing as you suggest is that the folder deleting

problem is intermittent, but next time it happens I'll try closing

software and see if I can resolve the problem.

 

Cheers.

[Guest Rich]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

 

"Poster Matt" <postermatt@no_spam_for_me.org> wrote in message

news:A1ouj.9663$XI.1279@text.news.virginmedia.com...

> Terry R. wrote:

>> The date and time was 2/18/2008 7:14 AM, and on a whim, Poster Matt

>> pounded out on the keyboard:

>>

>>> Hi,

>>>

>>> I regulary can't delete a folder from Explorer, I get the error:

>>>

>>> 'Can't delete FOLDER_NAME it is being used by another process. Close any

>>> programs that might be using the file and try again'.

>>>

>>> This happens with a wide veriety of folders and, after a while or a

>>> reboot, I can delete the folder as normal. Now I would expect this to

>>> happen when a file in the folder, or in a sub-folder of it, is open and

>>> in use by some software - but it's not, and I have checked in 'task

>>> manager' to make sure that the software's process is ended (because if

>>> the process has stayed alive this would explain my problem, but it

>>> hasn't).

>>>

>>> To further confuse me - I have been able to delete all the files in a

>>> folder which I can't delete, but then not been able to delete the folder

>>> itself (my Explorer settings show all hidden and system files so I'm

>>> sure the folder is empty).

>>>

>>> In desperation I've also tried using another file manager, a downloaded

>>> piece of freeware, and that too fails to delete the folder.

>>>

>>> How can I sort this out? It is very annoying.

>>>

>>> Many thanks, regards, etc..

>>

>> Hi Matt,

>>

>> Are you disabling antivirus scanning or programs of that nature in your

>> testing also? If files or folders are being scanned, the same issue can

>> happen.

>>

>> With so many different programs out there, troubleshooting becomes a

>> trial and error matter. You start by disabling everything and then

>> introducing one at a time until the problem starts again.

>>

>

> Thanks Terry. But no, no virus/malware/etc. scans in progress at all. The

> problem with testing as you suggest is that the folder deleting problem is

> intermittent, but next time it happens I'll try closing software and see

> if I can resolve the problem.

>

> Cheers.

 

Are you by chance deleting folders from the left pane of explorer? I have a

similar problem if I try to delete from the left side the contents go but

the folder remains? If I delete from the right pane everything goes as

expected. I don't know what causes this behavior but you might want to

change to right pane.

 

Good luck, Rich

[Guest Poster Matt]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

Rich wrote:

> Are you by chance deleting folders from the left pane of explorer? I have a

> similar problem if I try to delete from the left side the contents go but

> the folder remains? If I delete from the right pane everything goes as

> expected. I don't know what causes this behavior but you might want to

> change to right pane.

 

Nope, just 'normally' in the right pane. Thanks.

[Guest bill@love.ranch]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

have u tried deleting the individual files in the folder?

that should give u a clue as to what program is involved.

 

I had JPG files in the ones I couldn't delete.

It was the MS Office viewer. When I opened the file then closed the

program, the program continued to run in the background.

Look in task manager for a program you closed but is still running in

the background.

MS office viewer is "OIS".

problem is I have the issue on another computer now and forgot what I

did to fix it. no one here could tell me but I may have posted the

answer. Haven't looked yet. I might have been an MS patch

[Guest Shenan Stanley]

Re: Regulary can't delete folders

 

Poster Matt wrote:

> I regulary can't delete a folder from Explorer, I get the error:

>

> 'Can't delete FOLDER_NAME it is being used by another process.

> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again'.

>

> This happens with a wide veriety of folders and, after a while or a

> reboot, I can delete the folder as normal. Now I would expect this

> to happen when a file in the folder, or in a sub-folder of it, is

> open and in use by some software - but it's not, and I have checked in

> 'task

> manager' to make sure that the software's process is ended (because

> if the process has stayed alive this would explain my problem, but it

> hasn't).

> To further confuse me - I have been able to delete all the files in

> a folder which I can't delete, but then not been able to delete the

> folder itself (my Explorer settings show all hidden and system

> files so I'm sure the folder is empty).

>

> In desperation I've also tried using another file manager, a

> downloaded piece of freeware, and that too fails to delete the

> folder.

> How can I sort this out? It is very annoying.

 

Terry R. wrote:

> Are you disabling antivirus scanning or programs of that nature in

> your testing also? If files or folders are being scanned, the same

> issue can happen.

>

> With so many different programs out there, troubleshooting becomes a

> trial and error matter. You start by disabling everything and then

> introducing one at a time until the problem starts again.

 

Poster Matt wrote:

> Thanks Terry. But no, no virus/malware/etc. scans in progress at

> all. The problem with testing as you suggest is that the folder

> deleting problem is intermittent, but next time it happens I'll try

> closing software and see if I can resolve the problem.

 

Rich wrote:

> Are you by chance deleting folders from the left pane of explorer?

> I have a similar problem if I try to delete from the left side the

> contents go but the folder remains? If I delete from the right pane

> everything goes as expected. I don't know what causes this behavior

> but you might want to change to right pane.

 

Poster Matt wrote:

> Nope, just 'normally' in the right pane. Thanks.

 

Google for, download and install:

 

UnLocker

 

Try using it. ;-)

 

--

Shenan Stanley

MS-MVP

--

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