# Help me delete a file

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 3, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015 "2004-04-03T03:40:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/1 "2004-04-03T03:40:32Z")

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I have a video file on my computer that I just can’t delete. It constantly says that a program has it open, when the file is obviously not in use (that I can tell). I’ve tried to reboot and delete it on numerous occasions, to no avail.

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![dre2xl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dre2xl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dre2xl)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/2 "2004-04-03T04:05:08Z")

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rm -rf /

Seriously, boot into safe mode and you should be able to delete it.

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**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/3 "2004-04-03T04:29:45Z")

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OS? e.g. Win XP, OS-X…?

Type of video file? (AVI, WMV, MOV…?)

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**Author:** ![RainKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@RainKing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainKing)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/4 "2004-04-03T05:06:55Z")

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If the file is too big it takes some time to Windows to read it (this is different from open it). Select the file and wait 5 min, then try to delete it.

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**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/5 "2004-04-03T05:17:53Z")

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1. open up regedit.exe and head to the following key  
HKEY\_CLASSES\_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler

2. Delete the default value and close regedit.

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**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/6 "2004-04-03T06:36:10Z")

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> [@RainKing](#):
>
> If the file is too big it takes some time to Windows to read it (this is different from open it). Select the file and wait 5 min, then try to delete it.

You win!

Thanks to everyone for the help!

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**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-delete-a-file/238015/7 "2004-04-03T19:51:25Z")

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> [@Baraqiyal](#):
>
> 1. open up regedit.exe and head to the following key  
> HKEY\_CLASSES\_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler
> 
> 2. Delete the default value and close regedit.

Cool. That would explain the multiple hang-ups while browsing BearShares temp directory.  
[AVI Property Handler](http://www.tweakxp.com/tweak841.aspx)