# How to delete a problem file that is "in use"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2002, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291 "2002-09-06T14:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/1 "2002-09-06T14:49:20Z")
I have a large video file that claims it’s in use by another person or program, and therefore undeleteable under WIndows XP using NTFS file system. The thing is, that the file is not in use by anyone or any other program. It’s falsely claiming it is. I’ve run a scandisk thinking maybe the file was corrupt (which it is: I can’t even view properties, because when I do my HD starts thrashing for about 10 solid minutes) So what can I do to get rid of this file? ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/2 "2002-09-06T14:57:29Z")
Reboot and try again. (Don’t open anything other than Explorer when you reboot.) If you still have trouble, shut down your tasks one by one and keep trying to delete each time. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/3 "2002-09-06T16:08:43Z")
I’ve had this sort of problem too, fairly often. I’ve never had any trouble deleting the problem file after I restart the computer (maybe just logging off and back on fixes it too; I don’t remember). But does anybody know why the problem arises in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/4 "2002-09-07T00:21:04Z")
Can you reboot in safe mode in XP? Something running in the background of XP may be tying up the file and safe mode might keep the application from starting. I know you can in Win95, Win98, not sure if XP has a safe-mode option. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/5 "2002-09-07T00:25:39Z")
here is a better solution. Right click the problematic file then wait for a while (it can even take a couple minutes if the file is really big). then click delete and it will work. This problem only happens with incomplete video files of the type .AVI you can also try using win commander to access the file and delete it. ---
**Author:** ![Stupendous\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2002, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-delete-a-problem-file-that-is-in-use/127291/6 "2002-09-07T03:00:55Z")
Thanks for the replies guys. I tried logging into a different account and deleting, but no good. Safe mode: No Good… Finally, went into command prompt, went to the directory, and deleted it from the command line with no errors whatsoever. Go figure! Had to do the ol’ “dir /x” to get the proper name of the directory and file though…