XP has defeated me: How do you delete this file?!?
 

I've got a 700 MB file I want to delete, but it keeps saying it's in use. The file was being created by PowerArchiver when the system suddenly rebooted half way through the extraction process. I've tried normal delete, command line (won't enter folder), booting to ms-dos prompt (won't leave a:), system restore, and safe mode, but nothing works. I guess it's not a huge deal, but it's driving me crazy and it's taking up hard drive space. Anyone have any suggestions?

Normally just restarting the computer works, unless the program that's using it is starting up when the computer starts up. I would suggest finding out what program is using it, and disabling it from starting up, then restart, and try to delete the file.

Try to logoff (not just winkey+l) and relog in. then delete it

I have it when XP do that... its my computer but i can delete file? wtf hehe

I've tried all that, but there's no program that I can find that's using it...booting into safe mode should have gotten rid of any program that could have been using it, unless I suppose it's a critical system file...

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr.../procexp.shtml

Find -> Find Handle
search for it.
CLick it.

then in the bottom pane of the main window you can rightclick on the handle and close it.

Much better than even restarting...

where does it end with the damn spyware !

http://www.softizer.com/show_product...fileutilities/
use this software. It will delete the file on next reboot.

regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll

Now remove the file

Dude...it fucking worked! Thanks for the help, bro.
The weird thing is the program would close the handle and make it disappear, but as soon as I tried to delete it, I would get the same error and the handle would reappear. I kept trying it multiple times, and it finally worked. Thanks again...my sanity is slowly returning.

And thanks everyone for your help too. :thumbsup

I always login as a different user and try and delete file. it usually works.

I think this is a thread worth reading.
might help somone in the future.

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