omgbbq I can't delete media files

[Peegee]

There's several gigs of random avi files I want to delete, but windows "insists" that they are 'in use by some obscure program that cannot be identified, but surely exists', and refuses to delete it. In fact I just copied a file and tried to delete that and got the same error.

Explain please?

[crono_logical]

Using Explorer? Probably in use by Explorer itself as it generates previews and gathers other information on the files to show in the status bar or when you do properties etc. Either wait until it's finished doing it's stuff (disabling the side preview panel thing or preview mode helps speed this up), close explorer and delete from a command line, or hack the registry (as I do on my PCs) so it doesn't behave like that in the first place

[Peegee]

I love registry hacks (no not really). How do you go about doing this?

[crono_logical]

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler

Delete the value there, or change it to something non-existant so Windows doesn't know what to do with that file type so does nothing strange. You can probably do it to other media types causing problems too, I think

[Baloki]

You could download tweakUI PowerToy and use that, it'll also let you get rid of other stuff you might not want

[Peegee]

there's no systemfileassociations section of root :o

*confused*

I remember doing this before (prior installations of windoze) so I'm really confused :o

[Baloki]

Just take TweakUI to it and be done with it, or disable it in Folder Options, why always tinker with the regestry?

[crono_logical]

there's no systemfileassociations section of root :o

*confused*

I remember doing this before (prior installations of windoze) so I'm really confused :o

Try looking harder then Pay attention to lack of dots in that key, since the first thing you see when you open HKCR is lots of keys beginning with a dot


[q]Just take TweakUI to it and be done with it, or disable it in Folder Options, why always tinker with the regestry?[/q]Because TweakUI doesn't have options to change absolutely everything you can in the registry.

[Baloki]

Because TweakUI doesn't have options to change absolutely everything you can in the registry.

Meaning people that have no clue what their doing won't destroy their computer.

[Rainecloud]

It's probably all the spyware you've acquired along with the porn you've downloaded.

Tsk, tsk.

[Dr Unne]

Clearly Windows knows what's best for you, if it's not letting you delete your own files. Maybe you should just accept that fact and keep the files around.

Or go get a copy of Knoppix ( http://knoppix.org/ ) and delete it from there.

[Peegee]

-_- (running search on regedit)