The action can't be completed because the folder is open in another program

Gingernutty

No it's not! :mad:

I have Windows Vista Home Premium.

I've been sorting through folders of pictures and finally got them sorted into named folders on two different back up drives.

However, I'm down to my last empty folder (called STUFF) on my desktop. It has nothing but another empty folder in it (called EMPTY... God, I'm original :rotfl:).

Every time I try to delete it, I get the above message.

It's not open anywhere else. It doesn't exist anywhere else and I can't End Task or do anything else the Microsoft forums recommend.

I opened in Safe Mode and that worked for the last but one folder, but not this last one.

I tried downloading FILE ASSASSIN, but it wouldn't allow me to select the empty folder.

How do I delete a folder that contains nothing but an empty folder from my desktop when it keeps giving me this stupid and inaccurate message?

bsod

not clear if it's a folder within a folder, if so does deleting the lower level folder work

are hidden and system files visible, have you tried in safe mode after waiting a few minutes, is the application experience service running

antivirus stopped?

http://filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

Gingernutty

It's an empty folder within a folder which contains nothing but this empty folder.

Hidden files are visible.

Safe mode allowed me to delete an entirely different folder, these two are the last.

Launch folder windows in a separate window is disabled

What is application experience service?

ETA - I'll try file hippo, thanks

bsod

a service which if not running can cause this symptom, (for a minute or two).

run services.msc

data is safer if left on the internal drive too, in a non-desktop folder

delete the lower level folder first, and try from the command prompt

Gingernutty

bsod wrote: »

http://filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

Thanks bsod! :T

That's done the trick.

Much obliged!!

Gingernutty

bsod wrote: »

http://filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

Gingernutty wrote: »

Thanks bsod! :T

That's done the trick.

Much obliged!!

Spoke too soon.

On booting up today, a file was still there.

"STUFF" was gone, but the folder it contained "EMPTY" is still there.

Repeated deletions using filehippo in Safe Mode and normal, has done nothing.

On rebooting, the empty folder is still there.

I've tried putting stuff in there, deleting the new contents and trying to delete the folder - Nope.

The forums are going over my head and I don't know what's going on.

bsod

isn't vista interesting

assuming you've done checks for malware and aren't holding it open with an explorer window

try the other suggestions above (check the application experience service is running, and cmd prompt), try renaming, right click and check the properties on the folder, take ownership of the folder, run chkdsk, try process explorer (find, handle, desktop) to see what process is holding it open, try another user (administrator equivalent), or the easy way

create a new profile,

if all else fails use a boot cd

pendragon_arther

Also try deleting it in safemode.

Bollotom

Rename it to "Extremely Important Docs. NOT to be deleted." That should do it. :cool:

bluesnake

make sure the folder is not Read Only

Also there is another user with higher rights than the administrator, called System. Use psexec to issue commands through it

Still not able to be deleted, try procexp and "find handle or dll"

Both s/w available foc from ms

Though the easiest and could be the quickest way is possibly to use an Ubuntu or Mint boot disk and kill the folder that way

Gingernutty

Okay.

The file is still there.

Safe Mode won't allow me to use Unlocker.

Safe Mode gives me the same message as Normal Mode and won't let me delete.

The file is NOT Read Only.

Am still working through the other suggestions.