# Un-deletable file? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236 "2003-04-22T03:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![effac3d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@effac3d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/effac3d)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/1 "2003-04-22T03:45:10Z")
I have picked up a file in my shared folder which contains about every pornographic term one could think of. It doesn’t open,doesn’t even have a file size. I can’t rename,delete,move,i have tried everything including trying to delete in DOS. Anyone know how i can get rid of it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@The\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/2 "2003-04-22T03:47:49Z")
Knowing the specific error message might help. If it is a “file in use” error, try closing everything (inc. all non-necessary programs in your taskmanager or ctr-alt-del). Run a virus check to be sure, but I’m assuming that the file is a video or audio file and thus unlikely to be a virus. If neither of these works, perhaps boot into safe mode and try then. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/3 "2003-04-22T03:52:41Z")
Try this (if you’re using Windows XP): > [@](#): > > How do I delete an “undeletable” file? > > Thanks to MS-MVP Kelly Theriot for this tip. > > Open a Command Prompt window and leave it open. Close all open programs. Click Start, Run and enter TASKMGR.EXE Go to the Processes tab and End Process on Explorer.exe. Leave Task Manager open. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory the AVI (or other undeletable file) is located in. At the command prompt type DEL \ where \ is the file you wish to delete. Go back to Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the GUI shell. Close Task Manager. From [url=http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp\_undeletable\_file.htm ---
**Author:** ![Logical\_Phallacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Logical\_Phallacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Logical_Phallacy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/4 "2003-04-22T05:14:52Z")
also try editing your autoexec.bat to delete the file on startup ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/5 "2003-04-22T05:22:38Z")
Your shared folder? Is that the stuff you shared out? If so, disconnect from the network(s) and delete it locally. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/6 "2003-04-22T05:24:08Z")
BTW, run a scan for scumware first. ---
**Author:** ![effac3d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@effac3d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/effac3d)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/un-deletable-file/170236/7 "2003-04-22T06:04:13Z")
Thank you Q.E.D. Although even with ending process on explorer.exe i had to move all other files out and delete the whole folder.