# Deleting video files **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738 "2012-02-23T16:05:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/1 "2012-02-23T16:05:10Z")
I cannot delete some video files that I downloaded. the message is “Access denied, Make sure the disc is not full or write protected.” Other files delete with no problem, but these files won’t go away. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/2 "2012-02-23T16:54:13Z")
Did you recently watch them or email them? Is your email program and/or your video viewer still open? I find under such circumstance I cannot delete such files; the aforementioned programs still have their hooks in the files although it’s not apparent. So close your email app and your video viewing program. If that fails, reboot your computer. That should sever any link to the files you want to delete. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/3 "2012-02-23T17:16:23Z")
what is your operating system and version? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/4 "2012-02-23T17:21:38Z")
Rebooting will probably fix it. As will closing any programs currently accessing the files. Sometimes, if you have a “sideshow” enabled device (some Logitech keyboards, for example), even if you close media player, the sideshow app will hang on to the file for some reason. you can disable side show through the control panel. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/5 "2012-02-23T18:07:25Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > what is your operating system and version? windows xp-home edition-version 2002-service pak 3 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/6 "2012-02-23T18:10:19Z")
If rebooting doesn’t help. Try Malware bytes, More Tools, File Assassin, click run tool. Never seen File Assassin fail yet. 😉 If it did fail then there’s probably an error on the drive’s FAT and chkdsk might fix it. Malware bytes is free. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/7 "2012-02-23T18:11:54Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Did you recently watch them or email them? Is your email program and/or your video viewer still open? I find under such circumstance I cannot delete such files; the aforementioned programs still have their hooks in the files although it’s not apparent. So close your email app and your video viewing program. > > If that fails, reboot your computer. That should sever any link to the files you want to delete. rebooting did not help, closing the programs didn’t work. darn! ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/8 "2012-02-23T19:01:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > If rebooting doesn’t help. Try Malware bytes, More Tools, File Assassin, click run tool. > > Never seen File Assassin fail yet. 😉 If it did fail then there’s probably an error on the drive’s FAT and chkdsk might fix it. > > Malware bytes is free. File Assassin DID NOT fail. Thank You! ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/9 "2012-02-25T08:57:25Z")
For future reference, this problem can come up in a variety of contexts - for example you format an NTFS drive under on OS version and then try to access it on another machine, some files may be inaccessible. You can get around this by right clicking on the directory (or single file) and selecting propertied (in Windows). Then select the security tab and hit the “advanced” button. In the new window, select the “owner” tab and make yourself (as administrator) the owner for the directory, subdirectories and any files. When you execute the command, it will change the privileges on all files and directories (assuming you checked the box to make it so). This could take several minutes or longer if you try to do it on the root directory or a directory branch with thousands of files and subdirectories. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deleting-video-files/613738/10 "2012-02-25T17:16:34Z")
A quick fix I always try is to open a command window (Run, cmd) then do CTRL ALT DEL and bring up Task Manager, Processes, find **explorer.exe** and End Process. This basically kills the Windows GUI but will leave the DOS box open. Use it to navigate to the folder the file is in and delete it (type **del filename.ext** ). If the Windows GUI or its dependencies are the ones locking the file this will work. Won’t hurt anything if it doesn’t. You don’t have to reboot, if your DOS box is still open just type **explorer** and hit enter. Or from the Task Manager window do File, New Task (Run), **explorer** , and click Ok.