computer will not let me delete certain folders

can anyone help?
this just started happening this morning. im moving movies over to the external HD and there are several that i can not delete. it says i need admin permissions to do it but i am admin on this comp.
i downloaded some registry hack where you can take ownership but when i right click and hit take ownership nothing happens.

anyone know of any ways to delete these because i am going to OCD out and wind up buying a new comp and i can not really afford that right now. i dont think i can deal with not being able to delete these folders. it is already stressing me out.

thank you

Try a program called Unlocker, it deletes folders locked with stuck permissions, or will give you the option to delete them on next boot.

Often it's due to a file still being locked by the system, or the ownership of the folder is someone or something other than normal.

I use it all the time, unlocker, there are the odd occasion where it can't do it, but it's rare.. usually after I rebuild the OS and folders on second drives still have the old guids locking things..

www.iobit.com...

a reply to: savemebarry

going to try now. thank you

Sometimes this can be solved simply by restarting the PC. WIndows won't let you delete files that another program is still using. I see it quite often with image files if I've had them open in paintshop, or if you've been browsing the thumbnails, windows will think the images are still in use.

So restart, don't do anything else, and try deleting the folders then maybe.

originally posted by: Painterz
Sometimes this can be solved simply by restarting the PC. WIndows won't let you delete files that another program is still using. I see it quite often with image files if I've had them open in paintshop, or if you've been browsing the thumbnails, windows will think the images are still in use.

So restart, don't do anything else, and try deleting the folders then maybe.

going to try it now. that unlocker did not unlock/delete 4 of 4 that i tried.

i restarted for the 1st time in about a month a few days ago and i just started noticing this today

a reply to: Painterz

boom.
that worked. nice and simple. all is right with the world again.
thank you my friend

just want to throw this out to you, don't ever play registry anything, cleaners, that type of thing. Have had multiple computers, desk and laptops over the years, always just AVG, scanning whenever, no problems at all, just once, crashed computer with Reg Cleaner, my two cents. Oh, keep away from porn or gambling websites!

a reply to: tayton

i only run avg as well.
i hit a lot of trackers so i get porn pop ups but i dont consume porn nor do i gamble.

originally posted by: tayton
keep away from porn or gambling websites!

But mama! That's where the fun is at


OP, if you can't access or delete files that aren't in use...I'd be a little concerned.

Are they media downloads?

Either way, if Indian tech support dudes call you, just hang up

a reply to: TinySickTears

Usually when stuff like that happens it is a virus running in the background of your system.down load spybot search and destroy or malwarebytes and scan your system.

Oddly enough sometimes deleting what's in the folder first will allow you to then delete folder.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Sounds like the same problem I had 5 years ago.

You created a second profile on your computer and gave it administration privledges. And when you decided to make the primary account not an admin anymore it created this problem.

At least that is how I created this problem. Simply log back into the original primary account and reset it back to admin privledges, and use that account to make changes and delete files and folders.

If you can not create a new folder anywhere as well it is definitely a problem with you not having the primary account with administrative properties.

If it is not that.... Then make sure the files you want to delete are not currently being used by a bit torrent program running in the background.

If you have any bit torrent running simply open it up and stop the seeding of those files. Then delete the files through bit torrent so no residual files get left behind.

a reply to: TinySickTears

You're very welcome. Glad it worked.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Try opening the folder and delete as much of it as you can so as to stuff the file up, then try to delete again. if this don't work go into safe mode and do it there. I have been able to delete a fair bit in safe mode that I could not delete in normal mode.

If it become necessary to delete some program, go into the "C" drive and delrte the progam file from in the C drive. If not go into safe mode and do it there.

besta luck