Problems deleting a file (ISO)

[[R_H]]

I'm unable to delete an ISO file on my harddrive. Vista throws up a "File In Use" message, which doesn't make any sense, because I as far as I can tell, none of the programs are using it. Is there any way to see which program is using the file, if that's not possibly, how can I forcibly delete it?

Thanks!

[Bounty]

What programs are running? Are there any running processes that are related to file burning or mounting software? Archivers perhaps? Have you tried just rebooting?

[Oskuro]

Vista does that too? Considering how annoying it is on XP, you might have guessed they would at least have made a way to indicate wich program is using it. Oh well.

What R_H said, or try shutting down processes that might be using it, or simply wait for a while.

[[R_H]]

What programs are running? Are there any running processes that are related to file burning or mounting software? Archivers perhaps? Have you tried just rebooting?

I tried mounting and then unmounting the image with Daemon Tools, and I'm still not able to delete it. I also tried after to delete the file after closing DT, also didn't work. As far as I can tell, there are no other processes running that could have an effect on deleting the file.

I haven't tried rebooting yet (which I'll do as soon as possible, just need to create shortcuts to the pages I have open).

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Try looking for a program called WhoLockMe. I also know that when you click on a file in Exploder, it will sometimes be exactly what locks a file open, even if the reason you clicked on it was to blow it away!

[[R_H]]

I was able to delete it after rebooting (I haven't rebooted in awhile, I usually just set the computer to hibernate).

Try looking for a program called WhoLockMe. I also know that when you click on a file in Exploder, it will sometimes be exactly what locks a file open, even if the reason you clicked on it was to blow it away!

That's strange, does that also happen with Vista?

Thanks for the help everyone!

[Bounty]

I was able to delete it after rebooting (I haven't rebooted in awhile, I usually just set the computer to hibernate).

Problems like this are usually solved by a reboot - you use an app on a file, close it, some process stays open for some nebulous reason... it's not just a Windows problem, a friend of mine once spent a good week or so trying to figure out why she couldn't delete a photo from her OSX desktop; turns out it was still stuck in her browser's download queue.

[Enigma]

Slight sidetrack. I have a file that I can't delete. It gives me the message "Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk." I've rebooted and still can't delete it. The program associated to it isn't even running.

[Bounty]

Possible bypass: create a blank text file and save it over the file you are trying to delete (in Notepad: save as "all files", match extension); then delete this dummy file.

[Oskuro]

I also know that when you click on a file in Exploder, it will sometimes be exactly what locks a file open, even if the reason you clicked on it was to blow it away!

I think it has something to do with the information tab, upon clicking on a file Windows shows a brief info tab with general data wich might even include previews for videos and images. I've noticed that, depending on the file (particularly with video files whose codecs windows is not confortable with) it takes some time to show the info, wich probably means the process is still holding on to the file and preveting deletion.

[Stark]

It really is lame you can't just do some fancy gesture to force the file closed or identify what's got it open. This still happens on Win7.

[Darth Nostril]

Tends to be caused by caching of various software, usually needs a reboot to clear it out.
Very annoying.

[Stark]

You'd think a drop-down on the 'in use' dialog box would be an easy way to show people what process has it open. But noooooooo.

[JointStrikeFighter]

Don't want the OS to operate itself now do we?

[Old Plympto]

What I do is I delete it with a live CD. Native OS and processes are inactive, just trash the sucker and flush the garbage.

[Starglider]

What I do is I delete it with a live CD. Native OS and processes are inactive, just trash the sucker and flush the garbage.

I've had this problem several times and booting Windows into safe mode (via the menu you get if you hold down F8 during initial start-up) is just as good, if you don't have a live CD to hand.

[TheLostVikings]

There is this free program called Unlocker that adds an option to terminate in the rightclick which let's you see what processes are currently using the file, and more importantly release the file from them so that you can delete it.

It boggles the mind that Win7 changed the default error message to see which processes that are cockblocking you, but didn't realize it might be a good idea to actually give you an option to do something about it.

[Starglider]

It boggles the mind that Win7 changed the default error message to see which processes that are cockblocking you, but didn't realize it might be a good idea to actually give you an option to do something about it.

Bear in mind that a lot of corporate and educational setups prevent normal users from accessing Task Manager, presumably because they think it will be used to forcibly terminate virus checkers and/or software firewalls and cause OMG HACKER DOOM. Of course in principle you could check those permissions and only displayed a 'kill process' option if the user could do the same through Task Manager (assuming here that normal process protection isn't good enough for some reason - which it doesn't seem to be for a lot of institutions). This is Windows we're talking about though, in which the first version of anything is always completely brain-damaged, a situation which can only be slowly mitigated over many follow-up releases.

[phongn]

Taskman on Vista pretty much limits you to processes you control; to view or modify processes from other users requires elevation. Windows 7 refines that a bit further.

[Oskuro]

I can understand these limitations and obfuscation when dealing with low-clearance users or a Home Edition. But why not give more options on the Professional editions or to Admin users?

I know and religiously follow the axiom "the user is stupid", but at this rate we will need to add the corollary "but GUI designers are just dicks".

[Uraniun235]

Remember that for each additional option and feature you add to a GUI, it has to be thoroughly tested to make sure it doesn't unexpectedly break other features and programs, and probably also has to be reviewed to ensure that it meets usability guidelines and is mostly consistent with other GUI elements.

[Oskuro]

Thanks for reminding me what do these guys get payed for.

[Uraniun235]

Hey, no problem, buddy! Maybe next time we can review the concept of finite resources.

[Oskuro]

Nah, it's much more interesting to review the concept of resources blown on useless bells and whistles rather than on useful improvements.