Help…I installed a program that wont run…I tried to delete it…I get an error message saying “unable to delete,windows is using this file”.Any ideas?
It’s not as easy to clear file locks in Windows as in Linux…
I’d reboot into Dos, and delete it from there.
Or, you could wait. The lock may be freed up eventually. 
You will probably have to delete it in DOS. Write down the path and file name of the file you want to delete(i.e. C:\junk\junk.exe). Then you need to boot your computer into DOS. Use a startup disk or press F8 and select command promt only before windows starts. then use the erase command to delete the file (i.e. erase c:\junk\junk.exe). Make sure you dont delete anything you need. Don’t delete anything from the windows directory unless you are sure you don’t need it.
Try pressing Control+Alt+Delete, but just once. When the menu to shut down programs comes up, see if the program is still running. If it is, then click to shut it down. Once you’ve done that, or if it’s not still running, try the uninstall again.
If that doesn’t work, you may have to go to “Find File,” search through the results, and delete every last trace of the program. Only then will your exorcism be complete.
mblackwell is correct.
You can also select “Restart in MS-DOS mode” from the Shutdown menu.
Or, just rename the bastard file, if you’re allowed. Change it to a .txt file and edit it in Notepad, or just put a tilde (the squiggle just to the left of the ‘1’ on the keyboard) in place of the first letter of the filename and kiss it goodbye.
If it has wormed its way onto the Start Menu in W98, you can blast it out by going to Start > Run > msconfig > Startup Tab, and uncheck it.
I agree with the other posts - there must be some app using it. You must be able to delete the thing from DOS!
As an aside (hijack) - as a Windows developer, I sometimes have to install new versions of the Windows system files (because my application requires them). This can be a real pain, as Windows inevitably has them locked in use. However, I’ve noticed that often, even though you can’t delete the file, or overwrite it, Windows will let you rename it…during one particularly frustrating episode, this led me (in a fit of purile irritation) to rename the offending file to “this f*cking file” - just to see the message when you try to delete it:
“Windows is unable to delete this f*cking file”
Renaming the file is a lot safer as it is possibly a DLL file. If windows is using it now, there is a good chance that somethine will not work if you delete. Rename the file to “NAME”.BAK (remember the old name)and reboot. If windows works ok for a few days, delete name.bak. If you have problems, give the bak file its old name and leave well enough alone.
Umm copy it first to a bootable floppy so you can restore it.
Windoz is using it eh? Might be important don’t you think? Try running msconfig & make sure its not loading. then restart & see if you can delete it.
Thanks everyone…I was finally able to delete that program.It was an EXE file not being used.Drag and drop to recycle bin worked…but delete did not??? wonder why?