Hmm, cant delete file.
 

There is a file on my desktop that I downloaded a while ago. However, when I try to delete it, the computer tells me it is in use. I know it isnt in use, it is an installer, and it has been this way for several days and several reboots.

Is there anyway to force delete it?

First, make sure that no other programs are running by opening your task manager and closing any active applications. Try deleting it then. If that doesn't work, try opening the command prompt and deleting it through there. If that gives you the same error, try rebooting and loading in safe mode, then deleting the file from there. Hopefully one of these methods will work.

Re: Hmm, cant delete file.
 

Yup, two ways.
1. boot to safe mode without loading services or the registry and then delete it.
2. Kill it from a real DOS prompt. When you kill something in DOS, it's really dead. the sytax is "del c:\path\path\file.ext"
Not even windows can stop you if you boot to the dos prompt.

Just another reason DOS is still the old standby and one heck a raw power OS.:rolleyes:

Open a command prompt, navigate to the right directory, and try to delete it that way.

"del foo.exe" for example, would delete "foo.exe" in the current directory.

I'm not sure why Windows would do that with an executable. With video files, it loads the first frame of the video into memory to display it in a preview window or as a thumbnail, which is why you sometimes have issues deleting video files.

There's a registry patch you can do to disable this previewing, though I don't have it handy.

That's great, we all rushed to answer at ~ the same time and said the same thing without realizing someone else was also composing a response.
Perhaps we're all to eager?:D

Well, not quite the same thing. You said safe mode or DOS, I said command prompt or registry hack.

All four are valid options, though in XP, DOS is not possible, as unless you have NTFS support with DOS, you can't touch the harddrive.

Try dragging it into another folder and killing it from there. It's worked for me on numerous occasions. Easiest to try, and saves you from having to boot into DOS if you're not exactly sure what you're doing.

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