How do I delete a file in use?

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While it does not work 100% of the time you can often delete a file by opening windows in Safe Mode.

If you have a download manager and the file has been downloaded, clear the download manager and try to delete the file.

Thanks again Leo this is a nice utility to keep on hand so that when "Safe Mode Doesn't work" there is another way to try and remove that file. Oh! I get it, use this utility instead of "Safe mode" and there is only one "1" reboot of the computer and job done.... Sounds productive;-) and I like the renaming rather than remove (delete in Safe Mode) as this can eliminate mistaken loss of work when later someone on the net is screaming lost data with a file name you remember "deleting" but now renaming!

Thanks again Leo...

I use a small programe called UNLOCKER ASSISTANT. A search on the internet will find it.
It gives the ability to get rid of the link, move or delete

I also like to use ForceDelete which performs, as the name indicates, a forcible deletion of a file. It too is dangerous if the wrong file is deleted. ForceDelete is available FREE from softpedia at http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/ForceDelete-a-Download-33438.html

I prefer to slave the harddrive and then run a scan. Nothing is running on the harddrive while slaved and AVG can clean the file in question usually.

I've been using unlocker, another free utility to delete files in use and it has never failed me. It is a "must have program", but must be used carefully as you have the power of god on all your files with it... Sometimes I may not even know that a file in a directory listing is in use and when I try to delete it, exlorer menu pops up with unlocker option ready to stop any relevant process and deletes the file(s)immediately afterwards. I used almost all available similar programs, but this one beats others by far. For comparisons and features see: "http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/" and forget about junk and unnecessary file deletion problems.

HOW ABOUT THE FILE UNLOCKER?
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This program wii get rid of any file. However, why not just copy the suspicious file to a floppy temporarily. Then delete it from your system when in safe mode. Then reboot and if ther is a problem related to its absence, copy it back from the floppy and learn to live with it!!

My IE7 was hijacked and I spent a week fruitlessly with anti virus programmes trying to remove the file/s that I had identified. No good. Then I chanced on this programme, 2 minutes later I deleted the file and now I'm hijack free..!! Brilliant programme would have paid for it if necessary.

Go to the address below and download Sysinternals Process Explorer

http://www.loranbase.com/idx/15/025/article/Sysinternals-Process-Explorer-v1021.html

Open the program, and then;

1) Click binoculars icon, type program name (for example closeme.exe) click search
2) Click the process name you searched for
3) On the main window, right click the highlighted result and click "Close Handle"

Now you can delete or rename the program !

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