Can't delete a file with Explorer

Running XP Pro SP3.
I have a folder on my desktop that contains over 100 video .mov files. I selected all of those files and then used copy/paste to copy the files to my 8GB USB flash drive. The flash drive became full before the copy completed, so I replied cancel to the Windows pop-up that told me to mount a new device that had room to complete the copy. I then ended Explorer, restarted Explorer, and deleted a few files of the copied files from the flash drive. I was not able to delete those files from the desktop folder because Windows said that they were in use. I have no other applications open, and I had not accessed those files in any application (except Explorer & copy/paste).
I again ended Explorer and restarted Explorer, but was again not able to delete the .mov files from the desktop folder. So, obviously Windows had set a flag somewhere that says the files are in use and Windows did not reset the flag when Explorer ended. I also am not able to rename the files (using Explorer), for the same reason. I assume that I will be able to delete the files if I reboot, but is there some Windows fix available for this problem?

So I rebooted, started Explorer, and selected 3 of the files to delete.
They deleted OK.
So then I selected more files from the list to delete - but they won't delete because Windows says they are in use.
So stopped and restarted Explorer and again I was not able to delete the files.
This can't be a new Windows problem. It looks like Explorer/Windows turns on the "used" flag for that whole folder (or all files in that folder) and does not properly re-set the flag(s) when it should be re-set. I just wonder how it could be that Microsoft has let this problem go on.

Safe mode wouldn't fix the problem in the Windows software. I can get the files deleted but that does not fix the cause of the problem.

ya right. They would have a fix by now if they were ever going to fix it.
But I'm thinking that this is such a common and repeatable problem that there might be a fix out there. Oh well.

Before I retired a couple of years ago I saw the same problem on my corporate laptop (also on XP Pro). I will try the same exercise on my Vista laptop later today.

download unlocker version? that will get rid of your problem.