CAN'T DELETE FOLDERS

[MarioG]

As I don't know the cause I have to suspect everything.

I've noticed lately and since installing PTE that I have trouble deleting photo/folders. Dialogue box appears when I try to delete saying it can't be deleted as it's being used by another program or person. I don't have anything else open and I'm the only user. All attemps to delete fail.

Just tried to delete TheDom Photo Album to re-instal a fresh copy and was not allowed. I can delete through dos command mode although beit with some resistance. Fortunately, I'm an old power user. The probability of this being caused by PTE would be very low but I must ask.

So, In short, anyone else having the 'being used by another problem?

Mario

Just a thought, I was delting another folder with the same problem the other day, in dos command mode. I noticed that while displaying the tree structure of the problem folder, that dos was reporting the root and two sub directories where exploror was only showing the root and one sub directory.

Are hidden files being created in PTE or folders?

[JEB]

Hi,

For what it's worth I have had the same problem recently and I even went as far as re-booting.

I had a folder on my desktop in which I had temporarily stored images. While tidying up my desktop I found I could not delete that folder. I deleted the contents and left the folder on the desktop as I could still not delete it, even when empty.

Before writing this response I thought I should double check - you've guessed I was able to delete the offending folder - problem solved - but why?

John

[Ken Cox]

see

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

Ever had such an annoying message given by Windows?

It has many other flavors:

Cannot delete file: Access is denied

There has been a sharing violation.

The source or destination file may be in use.

The file is in use by another program or user.

Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

same installs a right mouse function get it going

works for me

ken

also see google search

http://tinyurl.com/2l7qht

[MarioG]

Hi,

For what it's worth I have had the same problem recently and I even went as far as re-booting.

I had a folder on my desktop in which I had temporarily stored images. While tidying up my desktop I found I could not delete that folder. I deleted the contents and left the folder on the desktop as I could still not delete it, even when empty.

Before writing this response I thought I should double check - you've guessed I was able to delete the offending folder - problem solved - but why?

John

Well for what's it's worth, heres the answer.

As suspected it is/was a hiiden file and it's called Thumb.db (database file). Took quite a while to work out.

Deleting all the files ofcourse won't delete the offender because it's hidden but you may have seen it in the past.

Open the folder you can't delete, go to the top and click on tools>Folder options and select the 'View' tab.

There are two radio buttons under 'Hidden Files and Folders' check the 'Show hidden files' radio button and press 'Apply'

You will now see the offending file 'Thumbs.db' it's a system file.

Now what i did was select the 'file types' tab and scroll down until you get to the db extension.

highlite the db icon and then select 'Advanced' you will see a 'Actions:' heading with a white area under it.

I don't remember now what was in the white area but it had to do with an action associated with the db file.

One of the options now in front of you is to 'Remove', which is what I did. Then press 'Apply'

The file can now be deleted and then ofcourse the folder.

I suspect no ramifications of the above but I'm not a programmer and don't know the importance of the db.file, so do it at your own risk.

Worked for me.

[Ken Cox]

see

http://www.fileinfo.net/help/windows-thumb-db-files.html

ken

[landon]

I would suggest you to try out Long Path Tool.

[wideangle]

Landon

You are answering a post that is 9 years old.

Regards

wideangle

[davegee]

Maybe I am wrong but I am always suspicious of someone who joins the forum and immediately posts an advert for a software solution.

DG

[Barry Beckham]

Nah, your not wrong