Can't delete file

  • Thread starter Thread starter bobcat
  • Start date Start date
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bobcat

I hope some of you Windows experts out there can shed some light on
this. I'm having trouble deleting some image files from my C: drive. I
have full control permission on the files and all the way up the tree.

The error I get from Explorer is "Cannot delete XXXX: It is being used
by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using
the file and try again." The error from cmd prompt is "The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

What's really strange is that this error persists even after a reboot.

Here are the details. The image files that have so far given me
trouble are employee pictures for our Intranet.

The programs that touched the file are:
ACDSee
Adobe Photoshop
MS Expression Web

The (jpg) image is within a tree "converted to web" by Expression Web.
The trouble seems to start after I've modified the image in Photoshop
and saved it to a new folder. If I decide I don't like the changes I
made, I can't replace the image I just saved. Photoshop reports an
error and then saves the new file as xxxx.jpg.tmp.

The final step is to copy the image to our company Intranet, which
resides on another machine. But, the same file becomes locked there
as well. If I log into that machine, I can generally delete the file.

I've googled the error msg but haven't found a solution.
 
bobcat said:
I hope some of you Windows experts out there can shed some light on
this. I'm having trouble deleting some image files from my C: drive. I
have full control permission on the files and all the way up the tree.

The error I get from Explorer is "Cannot delete XXXX: It is being used
by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using
the file and try again." The error from cmd prompt is "The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

What's really strange is that this error persists even after a reboot.

Here are the details. The image files that have so far given me
trouble are employee pictures for our Intranet.

The programs that touched the file are:
ACDSee
Adobe Photoshop
MS Expression Web

The (jpg) image is within a tree "converted to web" by Expression Web.
The trouble seems to start after I've modified the image in Photoshop
and saved it to a new folder. If I decide I don't like the changes I
made, I can't replace the image I just saved. Photoshop reports an
error and then saves the new file as xxxx.jpg.tmp.

The final step is to copy the image to our company Intranet, which
resides on another machine. But, the same file becomes locked there
as well. If I log into that machine, I can generally delete the file.

I've googled the error msg but haven't found a solution.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I didn't read through all the text beyond the second paragraph, but
for trouble deleting a file your Googling must surely have at some point
directed you to this app: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ It's certainly
worth a shot.
 
Sorry, I didn't read through all the text beyond the second paragraph, but
for trouble deleting a file your Googling must surely have at some point
directed you to this app:http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/It's certainly
worth a shot.
Click to expand...

I have seen this link, but I would really like to get to the bottom of
this and not rely on a workaround application.
Thanks for the response.

bob
 
bobcat said:
I have seen this link, but I would really like to get to the bottom of
this and not rely on a workaround application.
Thanks for the response.
Click to expand...

Use OH.exe (Open Handles) or Sysinternals Handle to find out what has a
handle on the file. Look for OH.exe and Handle on the Microsoft site.

John
 
bobcat said:
I have seen this link, but I would really like to get to the bottom of
this and not rely on a workaround application.
Thanks for the response.
Click to expand...

I use Unlocker and it will tell you what programs have locked the file
and you can then select whether you want it unlocked. So you can use it
to just tell you what programs are causing the problem.
 
bobcat said:
I hope some of you Windows experts out there can shed some light on
this. I'm having trouble deleting some image files from my C: drive. I
have full control permission on the files and all the way up the tree.

The error I get from Explorer is "Cannot delete XXXX: It is being used
by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using
the file and try again." The error from cmd prompt is "The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

What's really strange is that this error persists even after a reboot.

Here are the details. The image files that have so far given me
trouble are employee pictures for our Intranet.

The programs that touched the file are:
ACDSee
Adobe Photoshop
MS Expression Web

The (jpg) image is within a tree "converted to web" by Expression Web.
The trouble seems to start after I've modified the image in Photoshop
and saved it to a new folder. If I decide I don't like the changes I
made, I can't replace the image I just saved. Photoshop reports an
error and then saves the new file as xxxx.jpg.tmp.

The final step is to copy the image to our company Intranet, which
resides on another machine. But, the same file becomes locked there
as well. If I log into that machine, I can generally delete the file.

I've googled the error msg but haven't found a solution.
Click to expand...

Task manager/end those/that processes or one at a time, then delete.
 
bobcat said:
I hope some of you Windows experts out there can shed some light on
this. I'm having trouble deleting some image files from my C: drive. I
have full control permission on the files and all the way up the tree.

The error I get from Explorer is "Cannot delete XXXX: It is being used
by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using
the file and try again." The error from cmd prompt is "The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

What's really strange is that this error persists even after a reboot.

Here are the details. The image files that have so far given me
trouble are employee pictures for our Intranet.

The programs that touched the file are:
ACDSee
Adobe Photoshop
MS Expression Web

The (jpg) image is within a tree "converted to web" by Expression Web.
The trouble seems to start after I've modified the image in Photoshop
and saved it to a new folder. If I decide I don't like the changes I
made, I can't replace the image I just saved. Photoshop reports an
error and then saves the new file as xxxx.jpg.tmp.

The final step is to copy the image to our company Intranet, which
resides on another machine. But, the same file becomes locked there
as well. If I log into that machine, I can generally delete the file.

I've googled the error msg but haven't found a solution.
Click to expand...
It isn't strange at all. Some program that is started during the boot has
obtained a handle to the file.
Process Explorer can find all programs that have handle to the file.
Process Explorer can also delete the handle.
That was the method that I used once upon a time when some program had a
handle open to the HOSTS file.

You also might consider this situation as an indication of malware.
Jim
 
I hope some of you Windows experts out there can shed some light on
this. I'm having trouble deleting some image files from my C: drive. I
have full control permission on the files and all the way up the tree.

The error I get from Explorer is "Cannot delete XXXX: It is being used
by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using
the file and try again." The error from cmd prompt is "The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."

What's really strange is that this error persists even after a reboot.

Here are the details.  The image files that have so far given me
trouble are employee pictures for our Intranet.

The programs that touched the file are:
ACDSee
Adobe Photoshop
MS Expression Web

The (jpg) image is within a tree "converted to web" by Expression Web.
The trouble seems to start after I've modified the image in Photoshop
and saved it to a new folder.  If I decide I don't like the changes I
made, I can't replace the image I just saved.  Photoshop reports an
error and then saves the new file as xxxx.jpg.tmp.

The final step is to copy the image to our company Intranet, which
resides on another machine.  But, the same file becomes locked there
as well.  If I log into that machine, I can generally delete the file.

I've googled the error msg but haven't found a solution.
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Bob
 
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