[SOLVED] Folder in use . . ?

[Ensign Scrulu]

Hello.

Every so often when one tries to delete a file (seeming to be of no earthly use to anyone) the irritating ErrMsg window pops up:

in use by whom? Doesn't stupid Windblows itself know?

Of course it does. Then why not say: ' . . . the folder or a file in it is open in [Name of Program]'?
Thank you.

(Windows 10 ver. 21H2 build 19044.1766)

 

[Colif]

try deleting it in safe mode

1. go to settings/update & security/recovery
2. under advanced startup, click restart now button
3. this restarts PC in a blue menu
4. choose troubleshoot
5. choose advanced
6. choose startup options
7. click the restart button
8. choose a safe mode (it doesn't matter which) by using number associated with it.
9. Pc will restart and load safe mode

its probably in use by a System controlled user. You are probably only human user but windows has a number of users it uses to carry out tasks for you.
These users include

• SYSTEM
• Local Service,
• Network Service,
• UMFD-0 & UMFD-1 (these stand for Usermode Font Driver Host),
• DWM-1 (Windows Desktop Manager)

There are others.

 

[Ensign Scrulu]

Thanks Colif, my newfound friend! Yeah, I could do as you suggest but it's no permanent, system-wide solution and would, in the long run, be inconvenient as all get out 'cause

1) my hunk-a-junk PC takes about 5 mins to reboot - the HDD LED is constantly on for 4 out of those 5 minutes - and

2) the 'Folder in use' thing happens often enough for that to be an option.

I have tried the Registry hack that restores 'Take Ownership' to the context menu and taken ownership of the file in question - no good.

I was looking for a 'quick fix' like that you see.

 

[Colif]

taking ownership isn't always best idea.

Why not use disk cleanup to remove old files, or Storage sense? let windows do it for you
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ge-sense-654f6ada-7bfc-45e5-966b-e24aded96ad5

this might help - https://windirstat.net/

 

[Ensign Scrulu]

. . . taking ownership isn't always best idea. I'm sure you're right but it's always worked for me (so far as I know, that is. An OS is such an incredibly complex system; what you change at one point may have unforeseeable consequenses at another point sometime later.)

Thanks for your tips and the links, I will try the links when I get back home - right now it's time to get busee while the sun still shines. I am on UTC +1 hour way up here in Sweden see.

 

[Ensign Scrulu]

I think windirstat is interesting, I'll try to learn that. Thanks!