Cannot delete desktop stuff....

I wasn't sure where to place this, but I guess it will be moved if required.

Let's say I save a pic onto the desktop. When I go to delete it, it says

"cannot delete file: being used by another process."

The same is true for when I install programs and it creates a shortcut on the desktop, or if I download something with Firefox and it saves to desktop.

OS: Windows XPSP2 Media Ctr

Anyone can help? I get tired of using Dr Delete..

 

start your computer in safe mode and then delete them.

 

I can do that yes however do I have to do that every time something appears on the desktop?

 

Hello and Welcome crisc32!

I have this feeling about long filenames .... care to give us the full name of what your trying to delete?
Oop's, he's OFF! He's BACK!


GF

 

It's not a specific file..it's ANY file that appears on desktop. I had pic1.jpg (small filename) and that did not delete either.

Types of files I couldn't delete:

.exe
.jpg
.mid
.doc
.txt

 

Then can I ask why you chose Dr. Delete (may be the problem)? Was there a past problem where you needed to delete in-use files?
Is there a copy of Process Explorer onboard?

Thought: If you move them inside a new folder on your desktop can they then be deleted?

GF

 

Nope. I did clean install today, with original CD, and no errors occured during setup. I chose Dr Delete to get rid of the files that could not be disposed of normally.

Can't move them either, says the in use error

 

try this lil program: unlocker

 

you might wat to start saving downloads to a different place such as a created folder in my documents. as it could just be the desktop that has them in use I have done this for many years and it works just fine.

 

Try this .... Delete - Can't Delete Files or Folders, you may have a corrupt desktop folder.
And about Process Explorer?

Ditto on BigC's recommendation .... create yourself a download folder.


GF

 

Thankyou to the unlocker program mr WSfuser

The problem seems to be associated with Panda Antivirus.

 

anyone know how to manually go in and unlock a folder kind of like what that unlocker program does? if so, can you explain how? i have a similar problem in which in my shared photos folder i delete or change the name of a photo, and the change does not take place immediately.....i have to close the window first, and then open it again to view the change. i though maybe somehow that folder got locked or something.

(edit: it used to show the change immediately after i deleted or renamed the photo)

 

Big D,

Manually .... you've got to either kill off Explorer.exe with a command prompt kept open (access denied errors), or for more stubborn (in use) files .... renaming, then deleting through the Recovery Console (those would be my choices). I'm not sure how unlocker work's. I'm guessing it terminates threads or handles held open by a given process, much like what SysInternals Process Explorer is capable of.

For what you describe I understand what your saying about immediate changes and at one time it used to work. Could be caused by any multitude of factor's, possibly corruption, the underlying principles of shared folder's, fast user switching if enabled, update's, or something else I'm unaware of. Best bet maybe to go and site search Kellys-Korner, A-Z pages as creative keywords come to mind .... many tip's, work-arounds, and solution's to common and not so common problem's.


GF