How do I delete an "undeletable" file?

[LPDad]

Here is one (especially for fister--better late than never)

Open a Command Prompt window and leave it open. Close all open programs. Click Start, Run and enter TASKMGR.EXE Go to the Processes tab and End Process on Explorer.exe. Leave Task Manager open. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory the AVI (or other undeletable file) is located in. At the command prompt type DEL <filename> where <filename> is the file you wish to delete. Go back to Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the GUI shell. Close Task Manager.

(you may have to Start your puter in SAFE MODE for those really tough to delete files)

[Cirga]

Another way to handle them.. which is usually what I do. Is get a Bootable floppy disk. Boot up on the disk and when it starts up go to your C: prompt.

Then just change directories to where the file is located on the computer and delete it from there.

Also some files are "read only" which means you need to remove that attribute in order to delete them. The command to do this is:

attrib -r (filename)

Then you can delete it if this is the case.

Just the way I do it myself..

[RipperRoo]

the way i found was fastest was to 'wrap' the file before binning it
create a new folder in the directory containing the file , drag and drop it into the new folder , then right click the folder and delete it

doesnt work on all files but gets rid of most, only takes a few seconds too

[indyskyz]

i use norton antivirus add the lill bugger to quarantine then delete it that always works for me

[Asterix]

well i dont know LPdad i dont have explorer.exe i have replaced it with Litestep but i still get undeletable files maybe i have to kill the shell..

But i use a nifty little program called Moveon Boot it does the job for nearly always...

U can get it Here

[tamarisk]

maybe you can't delete files because they are read only.
right click on file properties and check if read only is checked.

If checked then uncheck it

[Fister]

Originally posted by RipperRoo
the way i found was fastest was to 'wrap' the file before binning it
create a new folder in the directory containing the file , drag and drop it into the new folder , then right click the folder and delete it

doesnt work on all files but gets rid of most, only takes a few seconds too

Awsome idea, oly works if they are movable though...
sometimes it wont let you move the *******s...

Here is one (especially for fister--better late than never)

You know what I did a system scan and the ******* isnt totally gone yet... :yell :yell :yell :fu1 :fu1 :devillook :shoot3 :shoot3

[orb36O]

Share the file over a network as full access, then delete it over the network... will always work...

Or, this sometimes works:

cut the file and paste it into the recycle bin, then empty the recycle bin