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If the file is open in Explorer, how can I delete it? A used object in Windows cannot be moved, renamed, modified, or erased. First, you need to close it and terminate the processes associated with it. Another option is to disable the conductor itself.

There are several ways to delete a file if it is occupied by Windows Explorer.

There are three ways to handle locked files and folder(s). However, if there is a failure, you will have additional remedy. Brutal mode or "Force mode" will allow you to overcome the most recalcitrant files and folders. Particularly radically, this mode should be reserved for the most extreme cases.

How to Easily Launch the Command Prompt

Thanks to him, he can move faster towards the chosen ones. There are currently five blocks: “File”, “Home”, “Sent”, “View” and “Mail”. Stay on it with the right mouse button and select "Add" to panel quick access. And if you want to open it as a manager, click the right arrow and select that option. When you are in this window, note that there is also a "Delete History" option here. This makes it easy to delete the list of recently visited places and panel history.

Try a few simple methods to get started.

Task Manager

The frozen item may not be on the taskbar. You won't see it even if it's open. But you don't need to restart your computer. Windows 7, 8 and 10 have a service where you can view and selectively disable running programs. Here's how to close a file in Explorer:

How to delete a file from system

Click on the file right click mouse and select the “Connect” command. You have easy access to the data stored in it, it behaves like a data block. Data can be copied from it and even added to it. If you encounter a file type that any installed application cannot open, a window will appear asking you to find the right software. Select Find Store App. This is a new feature that tries to find the application to open the file. You can click the More button to view your installed programs and select the one that opens the file.

The program can be “hidden” in background processes. This means that it is not visible, but at the same time it works and is used by the system. And how to remove an item without restarting the PC? The same Task Manager will help.

  1. Open it and go to the "Processes" section.
  2. Find the application process there. Usually its name is the name of the executable file.
  3. Click on it and click Finish.
  4. If you don’t know what this program is and what it is responsible for, it’s better not to risk it. You may accidentally disable a system process.

Computer management

Windows 7 and other versions of Win OS have another useful feature. Here's how to use it to close a file in Explorer:

Close Explorer

There is no point in removing used files. You won't be able to erase them while they are active. But you don’t have to look for them in the “Dispatcher” to close them. You can disable the conductor itself. Better yet, restart it.

If you do something wrong, errors will occur. This is still a system service, not a user program. You should not close it if you plan to continue working on the computer.

Here's how to delete a file from File Explorer:

You can do it another way:

  1. Go to Start.
  2. Hold down the Ctrl+Shift keys and right-click on any free space. Not by the logo, but precisely in the area where the list of shortcuts is located.
  3. From the context menu, select “Exit Explorer.”

To run it:

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift again.
  2. Right-click on “Start”. This time by the icon itself, and not by the area “inside” the main menu.
  3. The line “Open Explorer”.

Third party programs

You can unlock objects using special software. After that you can erase them. Such utilities are very easy to work with. They have clear interface and a minimal set of options. They themselves are compact, weigh little and do not require resources. You'll quickly figure out how to close a file in Windows 7 Explorer.

  1. Find it on the Internet, download, install and run.
  2. You will see a window with a menu bar and an empty table. It will contain information about the selected elements.
  3. Command "File - Open".
  4. Specify the path to the object you want to erase. It will appear in the workspace of the unlocker program.
  5. Right-click on it.
  6. Select "Unblock".
  7. The “Status” column should read “Successfully Unblocked.”
  8. You can then delete the item.


There are often cases when you want to move, rename or delete a file, and a dialog pops up saying that file open in system, and therefore the operation cannot be completed.

Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind in this case is to look in the Task Manager. If the file is shown in the Applications section, then everything is simple. You just need to close this file.

How to close a file

An open file can be closed in Task Manager. To do this you need to log in Dispatcher, highlight the running application (the one you want to close). Then click the button below Cancel task. The application will be closed.

But all this is good and works great if we want to perform some actions with a file open in some program, for example, in Word. In this case, a warning is issued indicating in which program the file of interest is opened.

But we have issued a warning that file open exactly in system. This means that the file is open in some system utility program. But such programs are not displayed in the Task Manager. The applications section will show files and applications that we, in fact, open ourselves. We will not see files opened in the system.

How to close a file opened in the system

What to do if the dialog box about the impossibility of completing the operation (the file is open in system) pops up regularly, but the system program is not displayed in the Manager. We see there only a running application - a dialog box.

How can I close or delete the file from the system in this case? There are several options here and we will consider from simple to complex.

First of all, you need to pay attention to what kind of file you want to close and its extension. Most often this happens if we want to delete or move an image file with the .iso (or some other) extension.

The simplest thing you can do in this case is to check the virtual drives.

In one of them you will probably find a mounted file.

This will be the file opened in system. The fact is that all disks, including virtual ones, are managed by the system utility program. And while the file is in the virtual drive, if you try to perform any actions with it other than opening, a warning will be issued about the impossibility of completing the operation, because file opened insystem.

It would seem that in in this case you can right click on the drive and Extract file from drive. But this function doesn't actually work like ejecting a real disk from the drive. If we click extract, the file will be deleted from the drive, but will remain in the system and we will still not be able to close or delete it.

But there is a simple and effective way to close the file in system. You just need to... restart your computer. After the reboot, check if the file has disappeared from the drive, you can perform scheduled operations. There will be no warning dialogue.

It's simple and good, but... it doesn't always work. More accurately, it works if in the settings of the program that creates virtual drives, for example, Daemon Tools not noted Automatic mounting.

If the checkbox is checked, then when you restart the computer, all recently mounted files will be automatically remounted.

Thus, if you want to close files opened in the system by simply restarting the computer, uncheck the box Automatic mounting Daemon Tools. If this does not suit you, then you can do differently.

How to delete a file from system

You can delete a file from the system without restarting your computer. Let's look at this feature using an iso file as an example. First, we check its presence in the virtual disk. If it is there, you just need to unmount it.

It is more convenient to perform the operation of unmounting a file in Daemon Tools. When you open this program, you will see all the virtual drives and all the files mounted on them.

Right-click the drive with the file we need and select Unmount. And that’s it... you can delete the file, there will be no warning that it is open in the system.

Moreover, in Daemon Tools you can delete files from the system, even if they were previously mounted in another program, for example in UltraIso.

Using the UltraIso program you can also unmount virtual drive, and, therefore, deleted from the system, but only if it was previously mounted in it.

Thus, before delete file from system, you must first unmount the virtual drive.

Removing files from the system using the Unlocker utility

You can also delete files opened in the system using the utility Unlocker. This free utility. It allows you to delete almost any files under control system processes, including system. But you need to use it carefully. It can also remove system files.

Why do you need to delete the DLL file?

DLL files are used not only by legitimate programs, but also by malware such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, adware and spyware. Malware often corrupts DLL files or installs new DLL files on your system. It is not recommended to delete the DLL file directly. If malicious file The DLL is used by other common applications, so deleting it may negatively impact the functionality of legitimate applications. To prevent this from happening, always register the DLL file before deleting it.

The proper process for removing a DLL file requires you to complete the following two tasks:

  1. Unregister DLL.
  2. Delete the DLL file.

How to remove a DLL file

To remove a DLL file registration, follow these steps:

  1. Click on menu Start and select a team Execute.
  2. In the Open field, enter cmd command and click OK.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
    regsvr32 /u filename.dll
    Note:
    “filename.dll” is the name of the DLL file that you need to unregister

How to prevent DLL files from getting damaged

The main cause of corruption of DLL files is malicious infections. Malicious programs such as worms, viruses, trojans deliberately damage the codes in DLL files and make them corrupted. To avoid this, it is important that you keep your computer secure from malicious attacks. Install a reliable advanced Security utility such as Antivirus Plus and StopZilla on the infected computer and set a schedule to regularly scan your system for malware using such tools. Also, include reliable system to prevent malware from violating the security of your system. Some examples from best advice security systems are listed below:

  • Don't download apps from questionable websites.
  • Read License agreement End User before installing any software, which you downloaded from the Internet.
  • Do not open email attachments without running a virus scan.

Additionally, malware infection is another major cause of damage. DLLs and there are problems in the registry. When a DLL file is installed on your computer, its information will be added to the registry. An unregistered DLL process removes that DLL file from the registry. Unauthorized access to a DLL file or registry entry can lead to DLL errors. To ensure that the keys only store valid information, scan and clean the registry regularly using a reliable registry cleaning software.

Probably everyone has more than once encountered a situation where a file is not deleted. There can be many reasons for this phenomenon. The most common, in my opinion, is when the file is occupied by a process. That is, there is a process running on the computer that uses the file that needs to be deleted. You can download a program that will do all the work for you and help you delete the file, but it is much more interesting to understand the nature of the problem and solve it using built-in tools, that is, delete the undeletable file manually.

Next, I will describe how to remove an undeletable dll or exe file manually. This task very often arises in the process of fighting viruses. If it is impossible to delete a file other than a dll or exe occupied by a program, then you just need to remember which program you could open this file with or where it can be used and close this program.

I will warn you that if the file is not deleted because it is used by the program, then it may be necessary for its operation, so consider whether it is worth deleting it.

At any Windows versions The NT family has a tasklist command line program that allows you to display a list of processes running operating system. To use it to delete undeletable files, follow the instructions:

  1. Start -> Run (Win+R).
  2. In the window that appears, type cmd and press Enter.
  3. In the black window that appears, type tasklist /m > c:\tasklist.txt. This command displays a list of all processes with the modules involved in their work (dll and exe files) and saves this list to the file c:\tasklist.txt, instead to display on the screen.
  4. Open the c:\tasklist.txt file and look for the dll or exe file that cannot be deleted.
  5. If the file name is present in the list, then end the process (via task manager or taskkill command) that uses this file. Process names are written in text file on the left, the names of the involved dlls and exes on the right. Often the undeletable file is used by the explorer.exe process, which displays windows with folders and icons on the desktop. It, like any other process, can be terminated, and, of course, all windows that should be displayed by explorer.exe and the start menu panel will also close. In this case, you should not close the black window. After the explorer.exe process is completed, it will not be closed and you can type the command to delete it del file the path to the file.

    I will add that there are processes that, when completed, can cause your computer to restart, usually some of them are svchost.exe, so don’t be alarmed if Windows suddenly decides to restart your computer. After a reboot, everything will be as before. In this case, deleting a non-deletable file is much more difficult; you must either use safe mode, ERD, or another operating system.

  6. Finally delete the file. And you can restart a previously completed process.

All these manipulations can be carried out with remote computer, provided that you have administrator rights on it.

I would also like to note that there are cases when, when deleting a file, it seems to have been deleted, without unnecessary error messages, however, after updating the contents of the folder, the file appears again. In this case, it is necessary to check file system for mistakes. To do this, run the command on the command line

Chkdsk c: /f

where: c: is the letter of the partition on which the file is located.

I hope someone finds this guide on how to remove undeletable dll and exe files useful.

A common problem that novice users encounter is that a file or folder is not deleted (due to some file) that needs to be deleted. At the same time, the system writes the file is occupied by another process or The action cannot be performed because this file is open in ProgramName or that you need to ask permission from someone. This can be encountered in any version of the OS - Windows 7, 8, Windows 10 or XP.

Another way to delete such a file is to boot from any LiveCD drive, from a system recovery disk, or bootable flash drive Windows. When using LiveCD in any of its variants, you can use either the standard graphical interface Windows (for example, in BartPE) and Linux (Ubuntu), or using command line tools. Please note that when booting from such a drive, hard disks computers may appear under different letters. To make sure you are deleting the file from the desired disk, you can use the command dirc:(this example will display a list of folders on drive C).

When using a bootable USB flash drive or installation disk Windows 7 and Windows 8, at any time during installation (after the language selection window has already loaded and in the following steps), press Shift + F10 to enter command line. You can also select "System Restore", a link to which is also present in the installation program. Also, as in the previous case, pay attention to possible changes in drive letters.

Using DeadLock to Unlock and Delete Files

Since the Unlocker program discussed below, even from the official website, has recently (2016) begun to install various unwanted programs and is blocked by browsers and antiviruses, I suggest considering an alternative - DeadLock, which also allows you to unlock and delete files from your computer (it also promises to change the owner, but in my tests this did not work).
So, if when deleting a file you see a message that the action cannot be performed because the file is open in some program, then using DeadLock in the File menu you can add this file to the list, and then, using the right click - unlock it (Unlock) and remove it (Remove). You can also move the file.
The program, although in English (perhaps a Russian translation will appear soon), is very easy to use. Disadvantage (and for some, perhaps an advantage) - unlike Unlocker, it does not add the action of unlocking a file to the Explorer context menu. You can download DeadLock from the official website http://codedead.com/?page_id=822

Free Unlocker to unlock files that won't be deleted

The Unlocker program is probably the most popular way to delete files that are used by a particular process. The reasons for this are simple: it is free, it does its job properly, and in general, it works. You can download Unlocker for free on the official website of the developer http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/(the site has recently been identified as malicious).

Using the program is very simple - after installation, just right-click on the file that is not deleted and select context menu"Unlocker" item. In case of use portable versions program, which is also available for download, run the program, a window will open to select the file or folder you want to delete.

The essence of the program is the same as in the first method described - unloading from memory the processes that are occupied by the file. The main advantages over the first method are that using the Unlocker program it is easier to delete a file and, moreover, it can find and terminate a process that is hidden from the eyes of users, that is, not viewable through the task manager.

Update 2017: Another method, judging by the reviews, works successfully, was proposed in the comments by the author Tokha IT specialist: install and open the 7-Zip archiver (free, works the same as file manager) and rename the file in it, which is not deleted. After this, the removal is successful.

Why is the file or folder not being deleted?

What may be preventing you from deleting a file or folder?

If you don't have necessary rights on the system to change a file or folder, you cannot delete it. If you didn't create the file, then chances are you can't delete it. The reason may also be settings made by the computer administrator.

Also, a file or folder containing it cannot be deleted if the file is currently open in the program. You can try closing all programs and try again.

Why when I try to delete a file does Windows say the file is in use?

This error message means that the file is being used by the program. Thus, you need to find the program that uses it and either close the file in it, if it is, for example, a document, or close the program itself. Also, if you are working online, the file may be currently in use by another user.

After deleting all files, an empty folder remains

In this case, try closing everything open source software or restart your computer and then delete the folder.

How to delete a file or folder in Explorer?

You can also use several methods to delete a file or folder. For any method, you first need to select the file to delete. Further.

Þ Drag the file/folder icon onto the Trash icon.

Þ In the Explorer window, select a file and use the “File” and “Delete” menu items.

Þ Right-click on the icon of the selected file and select the “Delete” command in the context menu.

Þ There is a delete button in the Explorer toolbar.

What tasks does the “My Computer” icon allow you to solve?

The My Computer icon allows you to access any file and device on your computer. To launch “My Computer” you need to double-click on its icon.

The My Computer application has almost the same capabilities as Explorer. The only difference is that the work area of ​​the My Computer window consists of one part, identical to the right half of Explorer. Those. there is no hierarchical list of files and folders.

Double-clicking on the “My Computer” icon will display a window with a list of all computer drives. Double clicking on the icon of the desired disk will open a window with contents of this disk- a set of its folders and files. Double-clicking on the icon of the desired folder will open a window with the contents of the folder. Etc.

Note. If you hold down the Ctrl key while double-clicking, a new window will not appear. The contents of the selected folder will appear in the previous window (where you double-clicked). This approach will allow you to avoid cluttering your desktop with My Computer windows.

What are the ways to launch applications in Windows 95?

You can use different methods to launch applications in Windows 95:

1. “Start” button, “Programs” submenu - and select the desired application from the list that appears.

2. If there is an application shortcut on the desktop, then double-clicking the left mouse button will give a command to execute the application.

3. Find the application in the Explorer window and double-click on its icon.

4. Select the application in the Explorer window and execute the Open command from the File menu.

5. “Start” button, “Run” submenu and in the window that appears, enter the name of the application.

6. Give a command to open the corresponding document and the application will launch automatically.

Construction of drawings in graphic editor Paint

What problems can you use the Paint graphic editor to solve?

The graphic editor Paint is designed for creating, viewing and editing various graphic images. With its help, you can create both arbitrary drawings and mathematical drawings and diagrams. Finished drawings can later be inserted into text documents.

Name the main ones Paint capabilities?

· Drawing straight and curved lines of various thicknesses and colors.

· Using brushes of various shapes, widths and colors.

· Construction of various shapes - rectangles, polygons, ovals, ellipses - shaded and solid.

· Placing text on a drawing.

· Use of transformations - rotations, reflections, stretching and skew.

How do you start and stop working with Paint?

To launch graphical Paint editor The following method is used: the “Start” button, the submenu items “Programs”, “Accessories” and “Paint graphic editor”.

Or you can select a file of type “Bitmap bmp” in the “Explorer” or “My Computer” window and give the command to open it.

To finish working with Paint, you can use the “File” menu item, and then “Exit”.

Describe the appearance of the Paint window?

The Paint graphic editor window has standard view(see Fig. No. 7). In the upper left corner the name of the drawing file is displayed and then the name of the Paint editor. The editor menu includes the commands "File", "Edit", "View", "Drawing", "Options" and "?". The tool palette includes buttons for Free Selection and Selection, Eraser and Fill, Color Picker and Scale, Pencil and Brush, Spray and Lettering, and Line " and "Curve", "Rectangle" and "Polygon", "Ellipse" and "Rounded Rectangle" (in order from top to bottom). In the lower left corner is the Color Panel. During some operations with a drawing, other Panels temporarily appear on the screen.

Figure 7. Graphic editor Paint

You can control your work in Paint using the menu and toolbar. There are commands that can be called only through the menu, or only through the toolbar.

How to create a new drawing?

To create a new picture, use the “File” and “New” menu items. After this, a white rectangle will appear in the working area of ​​the window, against which they work. If a drawing that was previously in the work area was not saved, then before destroying it, the PC will ask the question: “Save changes to the file.?” with answer options “Yes”, “No” and “Cancel”. Selecting the Cancel option will cancel the drawing command.

Note. To change the standard size of the picture, point the cursor at the lower right corner of the white rectangle. In this case, the cursor will change its appearance to two arrows. Next, you should move the cursor while holding down the left mouse button to a new location.

How to draw a picture in the Paint graphic editor?

To draw, paint, change colors, write, erase, etc. in Paint you need to select the desired tool. To do this, use the tool palette. You need to click on the button with the right tool. After this, the selected button will be pressed. The mouse cursor will also change its shape. Moving the cursor around the work area while holding down the left mouse button results in using the tool and changing the drawing. When the mouse button is released, the cursor simply moves without changing the pattern.

List the purpose of the Paint tools?

· Pencil - when the left mouse button is pressed, a trace of the selected color, 1 pixel thick, is drawn behind the mouse cursor. When the left button is released, the trail is not drawn.

· Brush - the action is similar to a pencil, but you can change the shape of the brush - circle, square, line, etc.

· Spray - painting with the effect of spraying paint.

· Eraser - for erasing part of the drawing. You can change the eraser size. The removed area will be filled with the background color.

· Fill - allows you to paint the inside of an arbitrary closed area with the selected color. This requires clicking anywhere within the area. If the area is not closed, then the entire work area will be painted.

· Line - designed to draw a straight line (segment) of the selected color and thickness. The ends of the segment are the places where it was pressed and released left button mice.

If you notice an error, select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter
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