Cant Delete A Folder, And I really want to! Options

[YaarMere]

I have this folder which I have been trying to delete 4 a week now but Im unable to... the message I get reads:

Cannot delete file: Cannot read 4rom the source file or disk

Help me.

[Nidhi]

A virus may have locked a particular file wihin the folder. There is a program called file unlocker, you can download this. Better still this there is another program called file assasin, you can use this to kill the file. I presume that some of the dll's owing allegiance to the floating trojans or viruses are in those folder. If you can kill those, then things may be ok. First you have to locate the file that is locked.

[YaarMere]

This is wot I get:

The file you have specified does not exist or is not visible to FA. Please select another file.

[deewani]

Did you try booting the PC in safe mode? Try that and see if you can get rid of it (this presumably minimizes the programs that are controlling the file).

[azad]

Probably a case of a corrupted file header in that folder. Run "scan disk" with the option to automatically repair the damaged files, after repair you will be able to delete the culprit.
Depending on the OS on your system but Windows Vista has the function called "check volume for errors" and can be found when you right click on the drive letter where your folder is go to properties------->tools tab--------->check now. It might ask you to schedule the scan upon next reboot because the disk is in use now, select yes, and reboot the pc.

[HumTum]

Probably a case of a corrupted file header in that folder. Run "scan disk" with the option to automatically repair the damaged files, after repair you will be able to delete the culprit.
Depending on the OS on your system but Windows Vista has the function called "check volume for errors" and can be found when you right click on the drive letter where your folder is go to properties------->tools tab--------->check now. It might ask you to schedule the scan upon next reboot because the disk is in use now, select yes, and reboot the pc.

YM dost, I had a similar problem with the external disk and I did what Azad bhai has written above and it fixed the problem and I could delete the file after the scan which fixed the error.

If you are on windows xp.

Go to Run > type cmd > you will get a black dialog box with C:\prompt pointing to documents folders. Type the following for example - This is how my c: prompt is.. you may have a different one.

C:\Documents and Settings\Regular>

Now type this -

chkdsk yourdrivename: /f

For example the folder is on E drive of my system I would type

chkdsk E: /f

And if it is on the drive where your operating system is then you will have to wait till your system reboots for the scan to take place (as mentioned by Azad bhai).

[Marcilo]

Kaya complication hi....

One cannot delete folder if there is a file under folder and that file is in use. File can be hidden, read only or both. It could be that file is flagged as system file. First, view all the files in directory, make sure you can view system and hidden files. Now, see if the file is being used. See if it's in task manager, running as a process. Kill that process. If it's a DLL or associate file, kill the main application/process then delete it.
Deewani has suggested safe mode that is excellent way of making sure not all applications are loaded when you boot

[HumTum]

Kaya complication hi....

One cannot delete folder if there is a file under folder and that file is in use. File can be hidden, read only or both. It could be that file is flagged as system file. First, view all the files in directory, make sure you can view system and hidden files. Now, see if the file is being used. See if it's in task manager, running as a process. Kill that process. If it's a DLL or associate file, kill the main application/process then delete it.
Deewani has suggested safe mode that is excellent way of making sure not all applications are loaded when you boot

Complication ki baat nahi hai bhai. Remember my writing to you about the problem I had in copying huge files to the external hard disk. When I reconnect the hard disk I found the copied file is visible on the hard disk but was not copied full and when I attempted to delete it I would get the same response that YM got. There is no question of a file within a file! So finally as a last resort I ran the scandisk which was when the errors got fixed and the file was finally removed. Ab baat samajh mein aayi aap ko.

This post has been edited by HumTum: Jul 14 2008, 09:10 AM

[YaarMere]

Thanks Azad I'll try wot you suggest.

I already tried the 'safe mode' thing but no joy.

Humtum, post 6 look complicated.

Marcilo you are right... there is a folder within a folder which is read only and i cant uncheck it.

Btw, Im on XP.

[YaarMere]

I went to My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Properties > Tools > Error Checking and ticked both: fix file system errors and scan and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

The scan took pure time over 45mins but after I was able to delete the read-only folder which was inside the main folder but that main folder still wont delete... I get the same error message in post 1.

This post has been edited by YaarMere: Jul 15 2008, 12:34 AM

[azad]

I went to My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Properties > Tools > Error Checking and ticked both: fix file system errors and scan and attempt recovery of bad sectors.

The scan took pure time over 45mins but after I was able to delete the read-only folder which was inside the main folder but that main folder still wont delete... I get the same error message in post 1.

YM, Try scan disk a second time with the same options, I am sure you can get rid of the folder this time.

[YaarMere]

Serious? Ok... will do.

[balajigade]

Check the c:/windows or c:/documents & settings/administrator folders. Do you have a hidden-like (dim) folder named 'hinhem' or 'svchost' ?
Do you also get duplicate folders in dim shade which cannot be deleted?
Does your right click-paste function of the mouse always contain a filename without doing any cut/copy function?
Is your taskmanager is enabled?
Are you able to open the command prompt? If so try deleting the file in the dos mode.

--Balaji

[YaarMere]

Nothing I do with this folder seems to work... nothing will delete it.

[King Kishore]

There is a freeware program called DeleteDir (Delete Directory).
This allows you to mark a folder to be deleted on the next reboot.
It does it in Dos, before windows loads.

Hope this helps.