Anyone know how to delete a stubborn folder?

There is a folder in the "My Documents" folder that's been there for ages and can't be deleted or moved. It gives that write protected error. It's not set to read only. Thanks

That's likely because it's in use by a process. This tool might be helpfull to track down the particular process, if that's what causing this problem, of course. :smile:

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

If it's used by a process, there's a good chance you don't want to delete it (it would probably be generated again in any case) ... however, if it's something you KNOW is not actually being used by any process, then it's Windows funking up.

Open task manager, kill the explorer process, then open the file >> run new process thing and type in explorer to restart it. If that was the case you'll be able to delete it now.

However, you would also be able to delete it after a system restart and such as well ... and if you've done that and it still says it's in use, then it probably really is being used.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Thanks for your help so far.

It's not being used by anything running on the system, it's not a system folder and it isn't shared. Looking at it's properties, it says the folder is 0 bytes in size and that it's empty. Attempts to open it lead to the following message:

<div class="code">Code:[folder path] is not accessible

Access is denied.
[/pre]

I'm skeptical of reports that it is empty.

Then try what I suggested ... why doesn't anyone do that before they reply? It's very confusing.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Have you tried this?

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Why snark works.

I DID try what you suggested before replying so don't be so confused. Why do you assume I didn't?

I tried the unlocker tool you suggested reaper47 but it says it can't find ny locking handles (which I assume are for the processes), it doesn't delete the folder either however it can move it to another directory (not the recycle bin) which windows can't do alone.

But thanks

Because you didn't say it worked or didn't work ... you just said, basically, "I know no process is using it". I have no choice but to assume you didn't try it.

By the way, if killing explorer didn't allow you to delete it ... then it is being used by a process.

The only time false locks happen are through the explorer process (which is what does the actual deleting and such, mind you) ... so, if the directory still has a lock on it after killing that process, something else is hanging onto it.

Try looking up all the processes that are currently running and see if any of them are related, even remotely, to the directory or if they are susceptible to an infection.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

That didn't work either (ending all processess except those available in factory settings). Maybe a registry problem?

Unlikely. The system uses entries in the registry, not the other way around. Windows has the problem of entries still being in the registry when what they're from on the actual system are long gone.

What is this directory called? Doing internet searches and searching the registry with the name might give some more clues why it's there. Also, is it hidden?

I'm thinking it's one of two possibilities: 1. it's important and you should leave it alone and 2. it's being used by a virus that can't seen in your process window. However, it's important to note that if you booted into something like diagnostic mode, which would effectively stop most any virus from running, and the directory still couldn't be deleted, it just makes it look more like an important directory.

This is all making it look like it's possibility #1.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I tried safe mode and debug mode (I assume = diagnostic mode?) but it still doesn't delete. It's not a system folder. It's a folder that my sister created for her files (who couldn't open it either and so abandoned it, making another folder) before user accounts were set up.

On a side note though, under properties, the Read-only tickbox has a green square instead of a green tick or blank square. When set to blank, OK is clicked (apply to subfolders and files? YES) and properties opened again, the green box is still there.

A green box? Are you using the XP theme? Because that sounds like the "selected" highlight color and nothing more.

This is awfully strange. The only thing I can think of is to stop trying to do it from Windows all together. Boot into recovery mode from an XP disc and delete it through the dos prompt it will not be in use at that time.

If you still can't get rid of it: sorry, there isn't much else you can do. It sounds like something massively screwed up when creating the directory ... which sounds a lot like Windows, when you think about it.

You can also try taking the HDD and putting it in another computer and deleting the directory through that since nothing will be in use at the time ... but this is all probably more effort than it's worth.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Well, I think there is obviously a process using this folder, and it isn't normal for windows to do this. So its either another processes running on your computer or a virus which could one of the processes or be inside one of the processes in the list.

Try boot up in dos mode (Should hopefully be somewhere there next to safemode) and delete it. For memory, the command is "del "c:/where_ever_the_folder_is"". Though I can't remember so look up the ms dos command for delete and how to use it.

Crono said:
You can also try taking the HDD and putting it in another computer and deleting the directory through that since nothing will be in use at the time ... but this is all probably more effort than it's worth.

That should do the trick, but as Crono said, its a pain in the ass.

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Aaron's Stuff

I really doubt it's a virus now. There's two reasons why: He looked up all the running processes online and found nothing (since we already tried the virus route) and the directory wasn't generated, it was created by his sister. So, it isn't as if the directory just showed up one day.

Also, XP can't boot in dos mode (unless it was an update install from Win98/ME), the dos being used is an emulation and can only be ran through Windows. The "Dos mode" I mentioned, aptly renamed the recovery console, is booted from the XP install disc.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

if the folder was created before user accounts were set up, then maybe he just doesn't have permission to delete it.

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i eat paint

That would mean it's owner is the Administrator and it wouldn't be visible in another user account.

Windows should say "you don't have permission" or something like that if it really were a permissions issue.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

This is a fairly common and well known bug with WindowsXP on NTFS volumes.

The easiest way to move/rename/delete the folder is to grab a utility called MoveOnBoot.

You can download it for free from quite a few places, including:
http://www.download.com/EMCO-MoveOnBoot/3000-2094_4-10397293.html?cdlPid=10788920

Yeah, the green box I mean is there because there is a mixture of READ-ONLY and FULL-ACCESS files inside of the folder but like I said, they don't seem to be able to revert to 1 state or another.

I tried that MoveOnBoot thing you linked, larchy that didn't work either.

If there's nothing I can do about it, I guess I'll just try to ignore it until the next Windows reinstall (all those updates, save-games etc. *gets headache). Your help though, is always appreciated. Thanks for everyones advice.