Windows XP "Cannot Delete AVI Files" FIX!

[Big Booger]

Tired of getting "permission denied" errors when moving or deleting avi files in WinXP?

WARNING - Use this file at your own risk.

Executing this file will remove a registry key which makes explorer load shmedia.dll.

Simply put, this removes the annoying "permission denied" errors when trying to move/copy/delete AVI files.

To use this fix, right-click on the file and select install. Done.

ed2k://|file|windows.xp.avi.delete.fix.zip|1078|31D283B58556BF37115FCF3A5C07BFBF|/

You will need emule to download that file. Once downloaded you can then fix this annoyance that has plagued countless TZ users.
:D

[phishhead]

cant you just del it at the cmd prompt thats how I get rid of those little boogers.

[Reverend]

Or you can rename the .avi extension and then delete it. ;)

[Big Booger]

with this fix it never happens again. :p

[Reverend]

Boogs,how big is that file ?? Is it small enough to attach?

[SupaStar]

All you have to do to fix this problem is delete the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesCLSID{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}InProcServer32

This prevents explorer from loading shmedia.dll which is used to provide you with properties of AVI (DivX) files. My understanding is that due to the way DivX files are encoded, XP has trouble collecting the properties and gives you the file in use message when you try to delete them.

[Big Booger]

Precisely SS. Thats exactly what that reg fix does.
:D

I have went ahead and added the fix to this thread as an attachment because some people do not have access to emule.

[cash_site]

nice find for the fix, traversing the directories in cmd was getting tiresome. :D

[gershonbendanie]

Precisely SS. Thats exactly what that reg fix does.
:D

I have went ahead and added the fix to this thread as an attachment because some people do not have access to emule.

As I am a novice, would you explain precisely how to use this attachment? I have been uselessly playing around with this attachment for 1/2 an hour, and have NOT gotten anywhere.

I have not been able to see any place to "right" click and find an "install" selection! Wow! Frustrating!!

[cash_site]

ok, first left-click the attachment, and save to your computer. Then extract the contents of the file to your computer. Then you can double-click the .reg file and say yes to merge with your registry. Thats all, easy :D

[Big Booger]

The file I posted is a zip file. Zip files are used to reduce file sizes. If you are using windows Xp, just double click the file. Then in the right hand window, click extract.. If not, you'll need winzip.

http://www.winzip.com

Then, you should have a file xp-avifix.inf

Now right click that .inf file. and click install or merge.

That should work. It did for me. If not let me know.

Cash beat me to it..

[cash_site]

Sorry BB, must have been my quick ISP connection that posted quicker :p

I think your answer is written a little more concisely. Trust no-one, except BB :D

Has everyone used this? does it work flawlessly?

[gershonbendanie]

Then, you should have a file xp-avifix.inf

Now right click that .inf file. and click install or merge.

That should work. It did for me. If not let me know.



Hi Big Booger!

I have the "xp-avifix.inf" file. However, right clicking does not show any "install" or "merge" option! Wow!

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
George

[cash_site]

try double-left-clicking the file, hopefully it will install/merge by itself.

If this doesnt work you may have to follow the suggestion provided by SupaStart earlier

All you have to do to fix this problem is delete the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesCLSID{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}InProcServer32

Hope it works out for you. If this is too much - editing Registry can be dangerous - you can simply delete the avi file via the command prompt.

good luck.

[Big Booger]

Nice work Cash Daddy.

:D

[cash_site]

Nice work Cash Daddy.:D
Thanks BB. :D

[hungover]

Thanks a lot :)
found your wonderful forum by doing a google to fix this prob...works great

hung

[Big Booger]

Glad to have helped hungover. Welcome to TZ!
:D

[scruffy52]

This is my first post here and it`s to thank you very much, as I had the same problem with movie files......was driving me absolutely nuts,but thanks to you....all gone ;)




Marianne:thumbup:

[Big Booger]

yeah it really is an annoying bug in XP.. :D Glad it helped.

[fsumcdad]

I am experiencing sort of the same problem but with all files with the .MP3 extension. (unable to delate, copy cut, rename etc. - unless I change the extension to something other than .MP3) If I attempt any of these, I get the error message " Windows explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close". Then as I choose to report the problem or not, my explorer windows will collapse and my folder settings will also change.

Do you think that the problem that you discuss about avi files may be the same sort of problem that I am having with MP3 files?

I downloaded and installed the trial version of "Universal Explorer" thinking it may work where Windows explorer would not. As I attempt to manipulate a MP3 file I get an error window that makes reference to "Kernel32.dll". Could this be a problem as like the one I read about the shmedia.dll file?

Strangely enough, I can still burn cd's using Roxio and I am able to drag and drop the files. I just can't cut, copy, rename etc.

Thanks in advance for any and all assistance.....fsumcdad

[HypnoS]

Dude, you guys absolutely lz0x0lz....

thank-you for passing on the xp/reg info to the world. I found your forums by googling my problem and you guys were #1 on the list... For months and months... every since I started using XP at work (cough and downloading .avi on our servers cough)... I've been trying to figure out wtf is causing XP to tell me "access denied"... EVEN AFTER closing nearly EVERYTHING on taskmanager...

I am a Unix, Linux, BeOS "power"~user... p.s. XP TOO MANY PROBLEMS (cough microsoft sux cough)...

Thanx for the post, and the insightful comments (well most of them were helpful anyway)... still dont understand how you can "change the file ext. and delete the .avi" if "ACCESS IS DENIED" or can't really see how "XP's DOS would let you delete it", since xp uses "fake" DOS, a program that XP emulates to look like "real" DOS v6.x, but still runs on the win2k kernal. However I didn't actually try those steps, myself, so im not calling anyone a liar :D I just edited regedit.exe and it worked file for me, once you guys told me what the problem was anywayz...

~~software developer / web designer~~
@@@
www.SCnetSOLUTIONS.net/
~~ and No, I dont care if they find out, im too valuable to fire o_O ~~

[HypnoS]

OK OK OK LAST POST

PLZ Read~~

I tried deleting those problematic .avi files in CMD and it worked... dont see why CMD would let your del what XP would not... they do run on the same kernal correct?

However... renaming the .avi to .mpg or .vob or something other than .avi DOES NOT work... if you can't delete it, can't move it, can't copy it....... then you can't rename the file either "ACCESS DENIED"

LAST QUESTION~~~
Anyone knows what makes some .avi / DivX / XviD have this problem with deleting while others DO NOT have his problem? I usually download about 5 - 500 .avi / DivX / XviD files per day and only 1 out of about 200 have this problem... any INSIGHT? c-ya...

[Big Booger]

I think it has to do with windows explorer holding the files and thus causing them not to be able to delete. When using the "cmd" approach, you no longer have windows explorer running directly on the files you want to delete.

As for the types of AVI files that become undeletable, I haven't the foggiest idea.

[wellurs]

Nice one boys, that worked a treat! Found this forum through a google search. Very handy!

[phishhead]

welcome wellurs. stick around got a few more of those tips around here

[weikingdom]

I too found this site through google and crossed my fingers but it didnt solve my problem. i had 2 profiles on my pc (windows xp) (1 was little bros) i would select hidden for my whole profile under "documents and settings" so my brother wouldnt erase or mess with my music files and options. he screwed something else up and i had to reload/install windows (not repair). i had to redo all my prefs but i cant get into my old profile to get the songs. even as an admin. it says the folder is not accessible/access is denied. i can get into properties but it wont let me apply the changes. i see it as hidden but it wont let me in.

please help, i cant download all the music again (RIAA)

[Big Booger]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=810881

Sent that to you via pm, but for the benefit of anyone else with Weikingdom's problem have a look at the link above.

[weikingdom]

Thanks anyways Booger, that didn't solve it :( i thought that would do it too. i found it in help and support for xp but no matter what i did it still said access denied. i lost it all and so it didnt just took up space i reformated my c drive. oh well.

[Big Booger]

I was gonna suggest converting the drive from NTFS to FAT32.. and then try to access the files.. should be easier without the security of NTFS.

[nightsfan]

Hi,

I have deleted files using the cmd prompt before, but it was so long ago I've forgotten something. It's about opening up directories (or specifying files, either way) whose first 6 characters include a space.

For instance, I know how to open a directory called 'Windows'; I just type:

cd Windows

and it opens, because DOS 8.3 file naming only looks for the first 6 characters, after which you type ~1 and it 'guesses' the rest.

Equally, if I type:

cd Window~1
it opens too. This means I can open a file/folder with a long name, just by typing the first 6 characters, followed by "~1".

But if I have a directory called 'Other Windows', I can't do this so easily:

cd Other
doesn't work, because the directory is called 'Other Windows'
and
cd Other ~1 doesn't work either, because the space I put in messes it up: "Too many parameters - ~1";
nor does
cd Other_~1 work, because the name doesn't include an underscore.

So how do I open it? Basically, how do I get windows command prompt (/dos shell) to recognise files/folders whose names contain a space in the first 6 characters? I know you can do it, and this must be an obvious question for anyone who's used DOS, but I have really forgotten how to do it.

Hope you can help,

Colin

[Big Booger]

isn't the space designated as "%20" without the quotes?

I'm not sure if that will work. If not, you could try renaming the directories?

[pabloeneas]

Thank you for the fix to the deleting avi files problem. Much appreciated. Paolo

[mcp]

Problem is that Windows XP Explorer relating to avi files keeps closing or can not edit or remove an avi file.


This is because Windows XP expects to read a XP standard-supported codec avi file to produce a preview image at the left side of your screen. Even if you try to apply settings.
When the avi file is not a XP standard-supported codec (Divx) or the avi file does not have an index or is corrupt, XP prepares to read the whole file. Then you can get the error that explorer encountered a problem and needs to close or can not edit or remove the file.
Solution: remove the preview function which is called shmedia.dll You can do this in the registry but the best way is to use the command prompt as follows.
Go to start, use the "run" button and type cmd, now you are at the command prompt.
Next you type: regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll
Problem should be solved now after reboot.

If you want to reload the preview function go to the command prompt as above and type: regsvr32 shmedia.dll

Yvo

[phishhead]

nice explaination and welcome to the board.

[Reverend]

Solution: remove the preview function which is called shmedia.dll You can do this in the registry but the best way is to use the command prompt as follows.
Go to start, use the "run" button and type cmd, now you are at the command prompt.
Next you type: regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll
Problem should be solved now after reboot. The reg fix Boogs attached does exactly the same thing.It prevents shmedia.dll from loading.

So there is no "best" way. Its basically down to the individuals choice.

But thanks for posting a possible alternative.

[mcp]

It is true that the method of solution is a matter of choice for the individual.

With best way solution I meant that using the command prompt method you: (1) Do not need to have an internet connection to download the fix file.
(2) If one uses the registry key removal method on a longtime-running pc, that pc's registry is likely to have been flooded over time with keys (in the appropriate classes submaps) to confuse or scare off people who don't like to "mess" in the registry.

Hope to be of help again in the future. Hoorah for your forum :-)

Yvo

[Reverend]

It is true that the method of solution is a matter of choice for the individual.

With best way solution I meant that using the command prompt method you: (1) Do not need to have an internet connection to download the fix file.
(2) If one uses the registry key removal method on a longtime-running pc, that pc's registry is likely to have been flooded over time with keys (in the appropriate classes submaps) to confuse or scare off people who don't like to "mess" in the registry.

Hope to be of help again in the future. Hoorah for your forum :-)

YvoOK,fair point.

[Big Booger]

Do not need to have an internet connection to download the fix file.

But wouldn't you need an internet connection to find the command line fix on the internet? :D

[mcp]

If you are looking for a way to correct the avi problem all by yourself without help, yes, you need internet. If a friend, relative or somebody else tips you on the solution I mentioned, no.

Yvo

[zvahna]

i did delete the reg key and i unregistered the dll but i still can't delete files, not just .avi but .mp3, .ogg also(just remembered this,i'll try others now).

maybe any other idea?

looking with proccess explorer i have a lot of open handles on these files right after i start explorer and enter the folder to delete/move them.being a bit quicker than the PC :p i manage to close handles and delete the files but i also broke a keyboard over this.

[Rex Mundi]

How about going to safe-mode with command prompt (Press F8 when you boot your pc) and use the console to delete the avi's? It worked perfectly here.

[zvahna]

sure i can do that, i can also do it from recovery console or ntfs explorer or... but i don't want to restart my PC everytime i have to delete a MM file. :)

[phishhead]

in the options did you turn off the preview.

[zvahna]

i found the cause (or so it seems) for MY :o problem.A RAM module went ga-ga(so did my windows).
sorry for bothering you guys with something you already solved.
gonna stay on this forum, try to help others(and myself), thanks.

[phishhead]

glad you got to the bottom of it. and yeah stick around and enjoy the board.

[Crickerbug]

and it opens, because DOS 8.3 file naming only looks for the first 6 characters, after which you type ~1 and it 'guesses' the rest.

Equally, if I type:

cd Window~1
it opens too. This means I can open a file/folder with a long name, just by typing the first 6 characters, followed by "~1".

But if I have a directory called 'Other Windows', I can't do this so easily:

cd Other
doesn't work, because the directory is called 'Other Windows'
and
cd Other ~1 doesn't work either, because the space I put in messes it up: "Too many parameters - ~1";
nor does
cd Other_~1 work, because the name doesn't include an underscore.

So how do I open it? Basically, how do I get windows command prompt (/dos shell) to recognise files/folders whose names contain a space in the first 6 characters? I know you can do it, and this must be an obvious question for anyone who's used DOS, but I have really forgotten how to do it.

Hope you can help,

Colin

It doesn't actually guess. When you make a long filename like "c:/Other Windows" it's actually taking the first six 8dot3 compatible characters and adding a ~1 to the end. But if you have many files that the first 6 are the same, like a folder with mp3s in it....they'll be beatle~1.mp3 beatle~2.mp3 beatle~3.mp3 and so on.

As for your "Other Windows" problem, forget about the space. Try cd otherw~1 and see if that works.

When in doubt, type "dir /x /p" and it'll show you the short filename associated with the long one, and pause for each page. But the shortname column will be blank for each file that follows the 8dot3 rules.

[stretch_uk]

thanks to all you guys, have had this prob for quite some time, had tried several different ways to delete it without success, and this was a one click fix, :) cheers

[XP1]

how do i open it????
it is a inf, it only opens with notepad

[Reverend]

how do i open it????
it is a inf, it only opens with notepadThe instructions are in the "readme.txt" file that is included in the zip.

right click the xp-avifix.inf file and select install.

[XP1]

o
i right clicked in winrar

[blitzon]

find the reg key here and also dir with asterisk delete all file name occurences here
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32\OpenSaveMRU\avi or *
then u will be able to do anything with the file :D

[willgny]

Whatup dogz.
1.) I had a .avi file that I couldn't delete (pieceofcrapfile.avi) in my download folder.
2.) I created a new .txt file (pieceofcrapfile.txt) on my desktop and wrote some crap in it. ex. "I COMMAND YOU TO DELETE!"
3.) I renamed the file that i created on my desktop from pieceofcrapfile.txt to pieceofcrapfile.avi
4.) I moved the new file to my download folder, and windows asked me if I would like to replace the existing file with the new dummy file. (CLICK YES)
5.) After I replaced the file I was able to delete the .avi file.
Good Luck

WILLGNY
H.C.P.

[sirjavabean]

how many views has this thread got??? :eek: :p :p :p

:) :D

[Big Booger]

how many views has this thread got??? :eek: :p :p :p

:) :D

It's an annoyance you'd think MS would have addressed in SP2... but I guess they don't see it as an issue... :D

[PIPER]

glad you got to the bottom of it. and yeah stick around and enjoy the board.

ditto to that one....u have come to the best place for solid advice. :D

[sirjavabean]

does this 'bug' ( :) ) affect other windows or just XP. perhaps the next SP will solve it... :confused: ...or not ;)

[NightWolf]

wow this really worked great job whoever figured out how to fix it finally no more of that access bull**** :)

[kr0n]

I have kind of the same problem.

I have a avi file that was sent to me but is named a .exe

Problem is, it won't let me rename it to avi.

It always gives me a "The current file is in use so it can' be renamed" message.

Any way to fix it?

Thanks

[tomi_hl]

I have almost the same problem, except that I need to restart the computer to delete an avi file.

I have no problem when deleting an avi file, but after I deleted it, the file is still there until I restart the computer. It's very annoying to restart the computer everytime I want to delete an avi file.

anybody knows how to fix it??

[Big Booger]

I have almost the same problem, except that I need to restart the computer to delete an avi file.

I have no problem when deleting an avi file, but after I deleted it, the file is still there until I restart the computer. It's very annoying to restart the computer everytime I want to delete an avi file.

anybody knows how to fix it??
Have you applied the fix mentioned in the first post of this thread?

[tomi_hl]

Have you applied the fix mentioned in the first post of this thread?

yes, i did. but i still need to restart to delete an avi file.

whenever i delete an avi file, the space of the avi file is still in the harddrive, but i couldnt do anything with that file anymore
the file is gone for a while, but after i refresh or come back to the folder that contain the file, the avi file is still there until
i restart the computer.

I just realize that it's not only happens to avi file but mp3 & wav too.
anybody know how to fix it??

thanks

[Big Booger]

yes, i did. but i still need to restart to delete an avi file.

whenever i delete an avi file, the space of the avi file is still in the harddrive, but i couldnt do anything with that file anymore
the file is gone for a while, but after i refresh or come back to the folder that contain the file, the avi file is still there until
i restart the computer.

I just realize that it's not only happens to avi file but mp3 & wav too.
anybody know how to fix it??

thanks

A shot in the dark here, but try running the system file checker.

Click start/run/type sfc /scannow

Make sure you have your XP CD handy and insert it when asked. And reboot.

Then see if you can remove the AVI files, mp3, etc...

This sounds like a deeper trouble than just the fix mentioned in this post. DO you have any antivirus software installed? Or any other file protection software? If so try disabling them and see if the deletion problem still occurs.

[tomi_hl]

A shot in the dark here, but try running the system file checker.

Click start/run/type sfc /scannow

Make sure you have your XP CD handy and insert it when asked. And reboot.

Then see if you can remove the AVI files, mp3, etc...

This sounds like a deeper trouble than just the fix mentioned in this post. DO you have any antivirus software installed? Or any other file protection software? If so try disabling them and see if the deletion problem still occurs.

i did all of the above but it still needs to restart to delete avi files.
any other suggestion?

[Big Booger]

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.comp.freeware/browse_thread/thread/b6f0b2f0801523b/b74a6e59ff998c88?lnk=st&q=AVI+DON'T+DELETE+UNTIL+rEBOOTING&rnum=2&hl=en#b74a6e59ff998c88

check that thread.

[NYCGRIFF]

Hello Folks:

I too, had a file (MPEG), with a very long name, that Win XP would not allow me to remove. After folllowing all of the DOS-based tricks and using a bunch of third-party utilities, I found a small, free/commercial utility that finally did the trick: "JRTS Delete FXP Files".

You can Google for their website if you're inclined. I downloaded their 'free' version, which even though very limited, allowed me to finally get rid of the offending file (without rebooting). It sure saved me a boat load of additional headaches and time-consumption. Check it out. It may be just what the doctor ordered.

NYCGRIFF

[ranger_bob]

Just wanted to say THANKS! to Big Booger for a 2 year old post recommending the windows.xp.avi.delete.fix. That solved my .avi problem.

[jalaneme]

wow that file from the first page did the trick, thanks for the info those annoying errors are gone now :D.