Windows XP "Cannot Delete AVI Files" FIX!

**cash_site** · February 20th, 2004, 15:25 PM

Originally Posted by Big Booger

Nice work Cash Daddy.

Thanks BB.

**hungover** · March 6th, 2004, 23:24 PM

Thanks a lot

found your wonderful forum by doing a google to fix this prob...works great

hung

**Big Booger** · March 7th, 2004, 01:32 AM

Glad to have helped hungover. Welcome to TZ!

**scruffy52** · April 18th, 2004, 01:15 AM

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

**Big Booger** · April 18th, 2004, 01:37 AM

yeah it really is an annoying bug in XP..

Glad it helped.

**fsumcdad** · June 4th, 2004, 13:32 PM

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** · June 11th, 2004, 13:22 PM

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

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** · June 11th, 2004, 13:45 PM

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** · June 13th, 2004, 06:00 AM

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** · June 28th, 2004, 10:34 AM

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

**phishhead** · June 28th, 2004, 13:17 PM

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

**weikingdom** · June 30th, 2004, 18:04 PM

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** · June 30th, 2004, 23:47 PM

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** · July 1st, 2004, 15:49 PM

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.