how do you delete a file?

Question

there is a video file on my computer that I want to delete. It will not let me. I've trued right clicking and deleting,I've tried moving it to the recycle bin and I've tried pressing shift and moving it to the recycle bin. it keeps coming up! it says that some other program is using this file and that is why it cannot close it but I've closed everything out and it won't delete.....by the way i got it off of limewire PLEASE help ....I appreciate it

Answer 1

Try starting your computer in safe mode and then delete it.

Answer 2

A lot of media players will leave the file they are playing open which means it can't be modified (or deleted). Step one is to close all media players including limewire then try deleting it. If that doesn't work, hit ctrl alt del and bring up task manager, then close any processes running under your user name (or as many as you can). Then try deleting. If that doesn't work, try restarting in safe mode (I assume you've tried restarting once already). To do this, hit F8 or F5 or hold the left shift key down when computer is starting up (depending on which version of windows. 2000 and XP use F8) then delete the file.

Answer 3

I am going to guess that it has a .avi extension.

First thing to do is to hit CTRL+ALT+DELETE and go to the task manager.

Go to the applications tab and see if there is any program which is using the video, like Windows Media Player for instance.

Once you have done that, go to the explorer window where the video is and go to the tools menu. Select folder options then on the view tab, uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".

Now, highlight the video file, then press F2. rename the file to "delete.XXX" then highlight the file and select delete.

If this doesn't work, try restarting your computer in safe mode by holding F8 at the startup of your computer and selecting Safe Mode.
Safe mode removes all programs from running on your computer at startup and will only allow a program to run if you say so.

Now navigate to the video file and delete it.
If this works, please vote my answer as the best answer!

Answer 4

Click on the Task Manager and find the Process that is using that application. End the Process. A warning will come up about doing this, but click "Ok" That should end the background file that is open and keeping you from deleting the Video file.

Answer 5

You can try opening up the task manager and seeing if you can shut the program down. Once the program is down you can delete the file. You can also run "safe" mode. Not very many programs launch and then you could delete the file. You can also download HiJack This. It will help you identify what is booting up. Hijack This will also give you an option to delete command lines. You just need to know which one to delete, and that isn't as easy as it sounds. That is all the simple, cheap tricks I use.

Answer 6

Hit ctrl-alt-delete to bring up the task manager. Click on the "Applications" tab. Shut down anything that's running that might be using that file. Then try deleting again.

If it still won't let you, try rebooting and deleting again.

Answer 7

it might be possible by going to the operating file. It could be in windows or some other location, you can see it's location by dragging your pointer over it.
Go to that location, open the program and you might be able to delete the files that way.
the path could look something like c:/programfiles/windows/documents/etc.

Answer 8

Turn off System Restore, reboot hit F8 and start in safe mode.
Delete the unwanted file. Reboot, turn Restore back on.

Answer 9

play something other than the file on all your media and delete it or try renaming it then deleting it

Answer 10

You can restart or logoff your computer then delete after.