I can't delete any MP3 file on my computer.

[nirvana80]

Hi everybody,

I've got a problem that I couldn't fix yet. Very strangely when I try to erase or rename any MP3 file I can't do it. Windows tell me that the file is being used by another person or program. I checked and terminated all the processes and I booted in safe mode without any help. Today I erased mp3 files without any problem but now I can't. I didn't do any particular operation or installed any new program so I can't explain why now it's doing this.
Does anybody have any idea about this problem. it happens only with MP3 files and with all of them. I tried to rename a file before windows completed its operation during start up and I succeded with one file. I tried again after few seconds and again the same warning. There is no way that a program try to access all the MP3 file at the same time. The problem must come from something else.
Thank you for your help.
Nirv.

 

[nirvana80]

I've just notice that I can't delete or rename most of the media files :wav; avi etc. I need to fix this problem. I can delete or rename these files if I use another windows like an ERD commander or any limited windows version bootable from CdROM.

Help please.

 

[nirvana80]

You won't believe this people. I've found out what is preventing me from writing in any way on mp3 files and other media files. I'm using Process Explorer from Sysinternals to observe the handles opened from the processes. I've got for example an mp3 file on the desktop and for some reason the process explorer.exe keeps an handle open all the time on that mp3, since windows starts. I've got a jpg file on the desktop as well but there are not handles open about that file. are opened if i click or open the file but are closed when i don't interact with the file. Instead with the mp3 wav and avi the handles on explorer.exe are kept opened also if I don't use the file. I've also tried this: I've reached some mp3 file in some folder and just clicking on it I tried to search the handle and I saw it opened from explorer.exe and they are kept opened. Now If while this handle is opened I try to delete or rename the file from the msdos prompt (cmd)I get the same message that the file is used and can't be renamed or deleted. Instead if I close that handle or more than one handle, if required, about the same file and then I repeat the Ren (rename) or Del (delete) command, the operation is completed without error message.
At this point I understand that are the handles kept opened when I reach the file trough explore.exe (the window browser) that prevent me from deleting or renaming these files but the problem now is that I don't know why this is happening and how to stop it from happening.
I need some windows expert suggestion.
Thank you I hope you didn't get bored reading this self answered post.
Nirv.

 

[Lemon13]

run spybot/hijack this/cwshredder/adaware/antivirus.

 

[smah]

nirvana80, this is a rather common problem and you did a very good job of analyzing it. You can find more info at MS MVP Kelly Theriot's web site

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm

(scroll down to the 'Delete' section).

You can also find several discussions and suggestions by searching this forum for delete avi.

 

[nirvana80]

Thanks Smah for your compliment and to Lemon13.
In the Kelly Theriot's web site I found the exact steps that I did to delete the undeletable files .

"Delete - AVI, MPG... files (access denied error)

Close all open apps. Open a command prompt and navigate to the directory with the offending files. Then open the Task Manager and click on the Processes tab. select "Explorer.Exe" under Image Name. Click "End Process".

Now you will only have the command prompt and the task manager. In the Command Prompt, DEL the offending files (DEL *.mpg, DEL mus*.avi, DEL test.wmv, etc.)

The files should now delete without a problem. Now go back to the task manager and click on the Applications tab. Click the "New Task..." button. in the dialog, type Explorer.Exe and click OK.

Process Explorer shows you information about which handles and DLLs processes have opened or loaded. Use the search function to find every handle that Explorer.Exe has open and close them (right-click on the file and choose 'close handle'). Then delete the file(s) in question."

The problem is that I don't wanna do that every time that I have to delete an avi file or an Mpg or Mp3, otherwise what do I have the GUI for?
I have to fix this and I think it won't be easy to understand what is the solution. I've scanned my computer with Lavasoft AD-Aware and Norton Antivirus both completely updated. Norton didn't find any virus and lavasoft found some rubbish as usual that didn't have anything to do with this.
If anybody here anything about this, please let me know.

Thank you for your help.
Nirv.

 

[nirvana80]

I finally solved it. I remembered that I've installed an application yesterday called MediaXW (Name of the downloaded file MediaXW-0.0.6.msi) I uninstalled this application and the problem was fixed. To be sure that this was really the cause of the problem I went back on the website and I redownloaded (the website is

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mediaxw

) I reinstalled this program and I tryied to rename a file and was still working. I rebooted the computer and there we are again with the same problem. I uninstalled again MediaXW rebooted and the problem was fixed again.
If anybody has this problem with this application installed, uninstalling it will fix the renaming or deleting of most of the media file extension.

Thank you.

Nirvana.