Problem renaming a file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chad Harris
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Chad Harris

Win XPP SP2. Every once in a while, I will make a new folder on the desktop
or somewhere else, but usually on the desktop. This is always preceeded by
dragging some shortcuts into the folder as far as I can tell. When I try to
rename the folder by right clicking and selecting rename from the rt. click
context menu, I can type the name, in and then I get a box that says "Cannot
rename the folder. It is being used by another program. Close all programs
and try again." If I have the shortcuts open in IE and close them, it
doesn't matter. The only cure for this seems to be "rebooting." Since
closing those shortcuts in the folder I want to rename has no impact, and no
other programs are related that I can tell, what could be going on. Why
should a program running here matter anyway. I thought about anything I
could change with regard to ownership of the folder or file attributes to
impact this, but there seems to be nothing.

What's the magic of a reboot here and is there a way to fix this when it
happens once in a while?

Also I've noticed that if you have a Window or windows positioned near a
folder, it won't let you rename the folder but if you move them clearly to
one side of the desktop it will. Does anyone understand what's happening
there?

Thanks,

Chad Harris
 
I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate, but I remember from way back that
Explorer in XP behaves somewhat akward at times in that it 'locks' folders
that you are 'looking' at. The end result being that some actions won't get
executed because the systems considers these folders/files 'in use by some
other program' (Explorer in this case).
You don't have to actually have 'opened' anything, the simple fact Explorer
is open and the folder/file is selected seems to be enough.
Good old Winfile didn't do that.
Now possibly the good news is, that if you still happen to have a copy of
Winfile from NT4 times available, you can run it in XP and won't have the
'locked' problem.
The magic of the 'reboot' here is plain and simple, Explorer has 'forgotten'
everything it did before and is basically starting with a clean slate.

hth
george
 
George. Thanks. This is interesting. I wonder now how to find that file
and I will use it. I just have to find it. Maybe the reason is as you say.
I wonder if there are additional explanations. This is interesting. Do you
know where to find good old Winfile.exe from NT?

I guess I'll have to search it down. Appreciate the info.

Chad Harris
___________________________


I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate, but I remember from way back that
Explorer in XP behaves somewhat akward at times in that it 'locks' folders
that you are 'looking' at. The end result being that some actions won't get
executed because the systems considers these folders/files 'in use by some
other program' (Explorer in this case).
You don't have to actually have 'opened' anything, the simple fact Explorer
is open and the folder/file is selected seems to be enough.
Good old Winfile didn't do that.
Now possibly the good news is, that if you still happen to have a copy of
Winfile from NT4 times available, you can run it in XP and won't have the
'locked' problem.
The magic of the 'reboot' here is plain and simple, Explorer has 'forgotten'
everything it did before and is basically starting with a clean slate.

hth
george
 
George--

Thanks. Like a lot of people just the _nospam to foil some bots--not a
perfectly winnable battle. I appreciate the info.

Chad Harris
____________________________________________________
Finding out which file it is may be possible using Filemon from
www.sysinternals.com. (Freeware)
You mailaddress is only partly fake, right?

george
 
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