Can't delete some files

KingL

Is there a way to force windows (XP SP3) to delete stuff?

I was having a clear-out and discovered that I have many files that windows just wont delete.

I had spidered (downloaded) a bunch of websites/blogs to read offline and some of the path statements/filenames are too long to (in some cases) move to the recycle bin {"The filename you specified is not valid or too long"} and (in other cases) to empty from the recycle bin {Cannot Delete File BLANKFILENAME}.

I have tried Cntrl+Empty Reycle bin and Alt+Empty Recycle Bin.

Trawling through 90,000 files and folders to isolate which ones are the offenders is not an option. I even tried nuking it all with a 'restore to factory settings' only to discover that my Samsung OEM restore software only looks at the C: Volume, and doesn't touch the userdata (which is in another volume).

Files are (presumably) mostly .htm (or other browser-readable extensions) and aren't in-use or write protected.

Where's the "just do what I effin' told you to" button ?

ta

dogmaryxx

Use Unlocker

Mirno

shift + delete will delete the files, rather than move them to the recycle bin.

John_Gray

As dogmaryxx says, Unlocker should work for you (although its use is not even slightly intuitive)!

Otherwise, you have to do techie things like setting up a share to a point some way along the path and/or using the 8.3 filename. You would wish to avoid this method, if at all possible!

closed

move your data elsewhere, and quick format.

KingL

dogmaryxx wrote: »

Use Unlocker

That's got it - thanks

'no lock was found on these files, but we can still help you, select your option...'
>Delete
after a restart, they were gone. Thanks a lot