Deleting pdf docs problem

Gers

I'm decluttering my laptop and also getting rid of documents on my portable hand drives, many of which have multiple copies.

Whenever I try to 'delete' pdfs I get an error message saying 'the action can't be completed as the file is open in another programme' - what does this mean as I don't have any (other) programmes open.

It's been happening for a while and I've not bothered pursuing it until now.

Any advice about this would be great - thanks.

Gers

No one had this problem?

hans_2

Unlocker is what you need.

Be alert during actual install and untick any crap it offers.

unforeseen

Try booting your laptop in safe mode and deleting then. one problem you may encounter though is that the USB ports may not work in safe mode

Other option. Copy every thing else that you want to keep from your portable hard drive to somewhere else and then format the hard drive

bod1467

Look in Task Manager for any Adobe programmes or services running and kill them.

Like said earlier, it sounds like something has locked the files somehow.

If the files are on a portable drive, maybe Eject the drive, unplug it then plug it in again? (Maybe plug it into a different USB port too).

Gers

thanks - the problem also comes up when deleting from laptop. Single documents (or multiples) show the same error message, even one's I've made.

I tried dragging the documents into the recycle bin and that worked and I've emptied it successfully. Just can't highlight a document and use the 'delete' option.

Strange.

thanks again.

PS in edit - I have to put the unwanted documents into a new folder and then drag the whole folder to the bin from the desktop.

No other Adobe programmes open. Perhaps it's because I had a trial of the pro version and then deleted it?

bsod

which operating system is installed
does it affect all file types, or just pdf's
if you create a new file, eg a txt/doc/xls file, can you delete it straight away, if not, can you delete it after 5 minutes
check to see if the application experience service is running
which antivirus product are you using
are you using the delete button, or the right click context menu, does using the delete button make any difference

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/opened_files_view.html

(process name column)

Gers

bsod wrote: »

which operating system is installed
does it affect all file types, or just pdf's
if you create a new file, eg a txt/doc/xls file, can you delete it straight away, if not, can you delete it after 5 minutes
check to see if the application experience service is running
which antivirus product are you using
are you using the delete button, or the right click context menu, does using the delete button make any difference

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/opened_files_view.html

(process name column)

W8.1
Just pdfs
yes, straight away
Will do -
Avast
Tried using both - neither works

Thanks

will run the programme later today, I'm on the west coast of Scotland and, for once in a blue moon, the sun is shining its heart out so I'm going to sit in it. I'll come back once I've run the 'opened files' thing.

cheers