View Full Version : Stupid Q: Cant delete file.
I have this exe on my desktop. What it is, isent important :P. It says "close ny programs that might be using this file and try again". I have ended every process i have that windows dousent need to work and it still did the same thing. I tried deleting it in safemode and it still wouldent delete. I also did a virus scan, and that didnt catch anything. ANyone know what i should do?
ctrl + alt + del - go into system processes, try and find a process that relates to the exe. Then try and disable the process, if successful the exe should then be able to be deleted.. well in theory, just give it a shot :)
If you booted in safe mode and that didnt delete it, then I'm not really sure, you could try to see if it is in startup or services, try a selective boot, until it actually doesnt load up at start up, other than that, adaware, spybot and the new microsoft tool?
ctrl + alt + del - go into system processes, try and find a process that relates to the exe. Then try and disable the process, if successful the exe should then be able to be deleted.. well in theory, just give it a shot
I have ended every process i have that windows dousent need to work Sorry, but i ment i used the task manager for this.
Lex i actualy stop all services exept for some that i need for the network, so i cant end ny more. Havent tried the windows tool thing, but i will look it up and see what you mean. Scanned for spyware already and my comps clean.
try google, type in the name of the exe and you should find what the process is called and maybe how to kill it
The exe is somthing windows wouldent tell me how to close it. Its a patcher for a game.
Asurmen Spec Op
29-01-05, 05:09
search google for
blah.exe
you will prolly find a way to remove it
if its a patcher for a game have you gone to add/remove programes and removed it?
if all else fails try changeing the file extension and re booting then attempt to delete it? just a suggestion it sometimes works for me
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 10:00
i wouldthink that if its in use you cant rname it.
try runnin msconfig and seeing if theres anything odd on there that you could remove and reboot
Dousent let me change anything on it. Not the extention either. No way i can change it in anyway becouse its in use.
Ug im never going to be able to delete this.
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 12:14
Dousent let me change anything on it. Not the extention either. No way i can change it in anyway becouse its in use.
Ug im never going to be able to delete this.
thats why you run msconfig...
it allows you to disable proccesses from even starting when the PC boots.
disable everything you dont 100% need, delete the file, then re-enable everything again. whateerit was running it will hopefully give you an error messageupon reboot and you will know whatto leave disabled
You mean it's ware ez ? (hm it's a joke :rolleyes: )
I don't see why you would not be able to boot info safe mode and delete it, failing that load the command prompt and do it from there (when you boot up).
Step by step confirmation is normally a good bet too.
Well, I have this a couple of times, really annoying, dont really know the reason
for it but the only way / easiest way for me to deal with it is to have a bootdisk
ready, one of them old Windows 98 bootdisks, but any will suffice.
Just boot into DOS and go to:
C:\Documents and Files\<your username>\Desktop
and then type
del filename.exe
Where filename is the actual name of the file.
Works like a charm.
i wouldthink that if its in use you cant rname it.
try runnin msconfig and seeing if theres anything odd on there that you could remove and reboot
You can't if it's in use.
Find it's directory and rename that. Reboot, and it can't find the .exe so it won't be loaded. Delete it, then rename Directory.
UNLESS!
It's in an important folder, cos that would just bugger everything up :p
Meh, method works for me when nothing else will shift those stubborn sta.. errr... .exe files...
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 14:30
You can't if it's in use.
Find it's directory and rename that. Reboot, and it can't find the .exe so it won't be loaded. Delete it, then rename Directory.
UNLESS!
It's in an important folder, cos that would just bugger everything up :p
Meh, method works for me when nothing else will shift those stubborn sta.. errr... .exe files...
you can. mcconfig stops it loading on reboot. stop it loading, reboot, delete.
you can. mcconfig stops it loading on reboot. stop it loading, rebott, delete.
Sex to you sir :D
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 14:34
Sex to you sir :D
imay have not done techie stuff in a while, but i remember bits sometimes :p
im sittin here... on these forums and the nameless MMO's forums... waitin for a link the the nameless MMO's DL links...
and watching the Sifl & Olly show on winamp internet TV :p
[ edited - you should have been able to post that by now ;) ]
im sittin here... on these forums and the nameless MMO's forums... waitin for a link the the nameless MMO's DL links...
and watching the Sifl & Olly show on winamp internet TV :p same here cept im watching Southhampton v portsmouth on 1 :D
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 17:02
[ edited - you should have been able to post that by now ;) ]
dammit i missed whatwas said and just seeing the edit message makes no sense :p
[insertname of unmentionable game here] *cough*
was what was said if my memory serves :p
Jesterthegreat
29-01-05, 17:57
[insertname of unmentionable game here] *cough*
was what was said if my memory serves :p
even so... does that edit make sense to you?
Jester i did go to msconfig to see if anything was open. It was the second thing i did and no, nothing is starting up.
I will try the dos thing retron. Problem is my floppy isent powered becouse the connector is going to my videocard.
Msconfig doesn't allow you to see all the ways things can autorun and if it's a legitimate proggy I doubt that autorunning is the issue. It's more likely to be a corrupted file (or disk) or a very silly screw-up in windows.
Win98 boot disks won't let you browse NTFS partitions btw.
Options to try -
1) chkdsk /r /v from the command line (/r /v /x if it isn't your boot/windows disk). Then see if it can be killed.
2) boot into CLI mode (F8 on boot just after the BIOS) and delete it from there (depends on OS as to how well this will work).
3) If it really is running then download Process Explorer from sysinternals and use that to kill it.
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