can't delete a folder

sometimes when we try to delete a folder in windows, it doesnot allows... inspite of the fact that the folder is empty... just wanted to know the possible reasons behind it!!
thank you...

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inspite of the fact that the folder is empty

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the folder dosen't need to be empty to be deleted in windows. does the error message say "some files or the folder in use by other application". my guess is that you are attempting to delete the folder while it is in use by some other application. try closing the possible applications which are using the folder in question and deleting and if you are not sure about the application try to log off or restart the system and then delete the folder.

ya the same message is there..
i often searched for the services or programmes running but unable to find them...

once i deleted such folder some how, but when i re-logined, it was again there (it was empty before and after)...

Which windows? What's the folder name?? Sorry to sound harsh, but you're more prone to get the answer you're looking for if you give us specifics. If you ask general questions, you get general answers...ask SPECIFIC questions and you get SPECIFIC answers.

well allenb1963, i dont remember right now which folder it was... but it took me days to permanantly delete that folder from my system... i was just trying to get in detail of the topic...

sometimes, u get a nice answer in general... :)
thanks anyway!!

This thread would be better in operating systems.

Open two command windows

Type in windows 1

Code:

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c:
cd \
mkdir test_folder

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In window 2:

Code:

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c:
cd \test_folder

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In window 1:

Code:

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rmdir c:\test_folder

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This will give you an error message, even though the folder is empty. It is because another process has 'cd' to the folder

In window 2:

Code:

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cd \

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In window 1:

Code:

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rmdir c:\test_folder

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You will note the folder will now have been deleted

HTH

Steve

may be the ther folder your trying to deleted is link to a certain program and may result so error if you delete the folder.. maybe loging into you system in a safe mode may help you delete the folder completely.. hope this one help coz sometimes some program are easily change or configure in safe mode...

it's quite simple:

open taskmanager, go the tab processes, and kill all processes that can be killed, except explorer.exe

all the system processes cannot be killed by you so don't worry....

after this delete the folder...

Did you try to delete the folder in DOS command window.

It might be also due to some errors while installing a corrupt old application (say windows 95 application or so) in windows and uninstalling the same leaving corrupt folder names with some junk, which the windows file system did not understand.

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once i deleted such folder some how, but when i re-logined, it was again there

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i think what riya_here means is she is able to delete the folder somehow but it is again created it might be a folder created by some system process or program to store its temperary files which are deleted afterwards but the folder remainds.