can't delete a file in Win 2000

  • Thread starter Thread starter smwadle
  • Start date Start date
S

smwadle

I am trying to delete a file and keep getting the message

Access is denied. The source file is in use

The file is pdf42.ocx and is associated with a very old
copy of acrobat reader v30.0

I used add/remove program to remove the program but this
file can't be deleted.

Advice?
 
In message <[email protected]> of Sun, 21 Mar 2004
18:11:49 in microsoft.public.win2000.cmdprompt.admin,
[email protected] said:
I am trying to delete a file and keep getting the message

Access is denied. The source file is in use

The file is pdf42.ocx and is associated with a very old
copy of acrobat reader v30.0

I used add/remove program to remove the program but this
file can't be deleted.

Advice?
Click to expand...
YMMV. I would try the following:
Suppose the file is in q:folder\pdf42.ocx;
1) Start a cmd.exe "DOS box" and in it do:
q: % select drive %
cd q:\folder % select folder %
rename pdf42.ocx temp.tmp
exit
2) Reboot machine
3) Delete q:\folder\temp.tmp

That is a hack method.

Another would be to reboot in safe mode and try removal.

Otherwise, use your favourite search engine to find the following MSDN
article from Microsoft.
q140570
HOWTO: Move Files That Are Currently in Use

Please report your experience so others can benefit from this thread.
 
I'd get a removal tool like MoveFile(Ex) if you can find it or DDel (part of
NT Admin, on my site - www.Ndi.ro) and delete it from the command line:

H:\>copy con test.fil
sds
^Z
1 file(s) copied.

H:\>ddel test.fil
Delay-delete test.fil
Success

H:\>

This will schedule the file to be deleted when he system is restarted. To
actually delete the file, reboot the machine.
 
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