Can't Delete or Move Folder

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi, SS.

Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows Explorer itself. :^[

Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window. Navigate to the
parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove Directory) command with
the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
rd <foldername> /s

You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no program is using
the folder.

If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did and exactly what
result you saw.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP

"sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>
> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
> being used by another program.' For my requested action
> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>
> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
> cases.
>
> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>
> SS

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Yikes, R.C., Hope you're ready for this. I need
step-by-step directions. You see, I've never used DOS
except to type in something my IPS told me to do. Should
it look like this: rd New Folder /s ('New Folder' is an
empty folder I made and decided I didn't need)?

SS

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi, SS.
>
>Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows
Explorer itself. :^[
>
>Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window.
Navigate to the
>parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove
Directory) command with
>the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
>rd <foldername> /s
>
>You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no
program is using
>the folder.
>
>If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did
and exactly what
>result you saw.
>
>RC
>--
>R. C. White, CPA
>San Marcos, TX
>rc@corridor.net
>Microsoft Windows MVP
>
>"sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>>
>> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
>> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
>> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
>> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
>> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
>> being used by another program.' For my requested action
>> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>>
>> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
>> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
>> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
>> cases.
>>
>> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>>
>> SS
>
>.
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

>-----Original Message-----
>Yikes, R.C., Hope you're ready for this. I need
>step-by-step directions. You see, I've never used DOS
>except to type in something my IPS told me to do. Should
>it look like this: rd New Folder /s ('New Folder' is an
>empty folder I made and decided I didn't need)?
>
>SS
>
Had to put quotation marks around "New Folder," however, it
worked! Thanks loads! I appreciate your help.

SS


>>-----Original Message-----
>>Hi, SS.
>>
>>Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows
>Explorer itself. :^[
>>
>>Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window.
>Navigate to the
>>parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove
>Directory) command with
>>the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
>>rd <foldername> /s
>>
>>You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no
>program is using
>>the folder.
>>
>>If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did
>and exactly what
>>result you saw.
>>
>>RC
>>--
>>R. C. White, CPA
>>San Marcos, TX
>>rc@corridor.net
>>Microsoft Windows MVP
>>
>>"sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>>> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>>>
>>> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
>>> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
>>> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
>>> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
>>> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
>>> being used by another program.' For my requested action
>>> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>>>
>>> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
>>> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
>>> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
>>> cases.
>>>
>>> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>>>
>>> SS
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Hi, SS.

Thanks for the report back. I'm glad it worked. It usually does, but...

Any time we are working in the "DOS" window, we have to observe some rules.
(I enclose "DOS" in quotes to emphasize that this is only an emulation of
MS-DOS that runs in WinXP, and not true MS-DOS.) One of those rules is
that, if we are dealing with a filename (including a folder name) that is
not a legal 8.3 filename, we must include the entire pathname in quotes.
One such illegal character that is frequently encountered is the space, such
as in "New Folder".

I'm glad you figured it out. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@corridor.net
Microsoft Windows MVP

"sawalkers" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:00f501c51607$1171f3f0$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>
>>Yikes, R.C., Hope you're ready for this. I need
>>step-by-step directions. You see, I've never used DOS
>>except to type in something my IPS told me to do. Should
>>it look like this: rd New Folder /s ('New Folder' is an
>>empty folder I made and decided I didn't need)?
>>
>>SS
>>
> Had to put quotation marks around "New Folder," however, it
> worked! Thanks loads! I appreciate your help.
>
> SS
>
>
>>>Hi, SS.
>>>
>>>Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows
>>Explorer itself. :^[
>>>
>>>Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window.
>>Navigate to the
>>>parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove
>>Directory) command with
>>>the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
>>>rd <foldername> /s
>>>
>>>You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no
>>program is using
>>>the folder.
>>>
>>>If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did
>>and exactly what
>>>result you saw.
>>>
>>>RC
>>>
>>>"sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>>>> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>>>>
>>>> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
>>>> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
>>>> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
>>>> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
>>>> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
>>>> being used by another program.' For my requested action
>>>> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>>>>
>>>> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
>>>> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
>>>> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
>>>> cases.
>>>>
>>>> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>>>>
>>>> SS

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I've seen this reply many times, but started off with W95 & have never had
the need to delve into DOS instructions.
Could you please give an example as to how to proceed "Navigate sequence"?
An example may be an undeletable folder in My Documents on my C-drive named
"OVELAN6J", which contains a 0B file called "search[1]."

--

johnf

> Hi, SS.
>
> Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows Explorer itself.
> :^[
> Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window. Navigate to the
> parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove Directory) command
> with the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
> rd <foldername> /s
>
> You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no program is
> using the folder.
>
> If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did and exactly
> what result you saw.
>
> RC
> --
> R. C. White, CPA
> San Marcos, TX
> rc@corridor.net
> Microsoft Windows MVP
>
> "sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>>
>> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
>> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
>> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
>> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
>> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
>> being used by another program.' For my requested action
>> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>>
>> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
>> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
>> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
>> cases.
>>
>> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>>
>> SS

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

Go to http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_abc.htm, select "D" at the top, and
scroll down to Delete - Can't Delete Files or Folders.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
"johnf" <john_f@bigpond.net.a> wrote in message
news:%23k%23SY7fFFHA.3368@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> I've seen this reply many times, but started off with W95 & have never had
> the need to delve into DOS instructions.
> Could you please give an example as to how to proceed "Navigate sequence"?
> An example may be an undeletable folder in My Documents on my C-drive
> named "OVELAN6J", which contains a 0B file called "search[1]."
>
> --
>
> johnf
>
>> Hi, SS.
>>
>> Maybe the "someone" who is using the folder is Windows Explorer itself.
>> :^[
>> Close all Explorer windows. Then open a "DOS" window. Navigate to the
>> parent of your rogue folder and use the rd (Remove Directory) command
>> with the /s switch (to Include Subdirectories):
>> rd <foldername> /s
>>
>> You might need to reboot into Safe Mode to be sure that no program is
>> using the folder.
>>
>> If that doesn't work, post back with exactly what you did and exactly
>> what result you saw.
>>
>> RC
>> --
>> R. C. White, CPA
>> San Marcos, TX
>> rc@corridor.net
>> Microsoft Windows MVP
>>
>> "sawalkers" <sawalkers@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:017401c51546$aaab6360$a501280a@phx.gbl...
>>> XP Home, SP2 w/latest update, Cable connection.
>>>
>>> I'm having a problem deleting and moving folders. It
>>> doesn't matter if it is an empty folder that I made and
>>> didn't use or if it is a program folder that I have
>>> uninstalled, when I try to delete or move it to storage,
>>> I get a message telling me 'someone is using it or it is
>>> being used by another program.' For my requested action
>>> to take place, I must restart my computer.
>>>
>>> Action I've taken: Checked Task Manager to see if the
>>> folder or program was open. Checked to see if other
>>> programs depend upon it or are using it. Negative in all
>>> cases.
>>>
>>> Can anyone help me with this problem?
>>>
>>> SS
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (More info?)

I have run into that problem and resolved it by downloading a program
that automatically deletes the file on reboot. It shows up in the
context menu as Delete files on next boot. The name of the app. is as
follows. It's very good and it's FREE. To delete Folders there is
another program Delete Doctor. You can find these Apps on
http://www.snapfiles.com and select Free Files.


--
Bobbya10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bobbya10's Profile: http://www.iamnotageek.com/member.php?userid=10354
View this thread: http://www.iamnotageek.com/showthread.php?t=817685