How to Delete Undeleteable Files

Windows 95/98/ME

If you are using Windows 95, 98, or Windows ME, the easiest way to remove an undeleteable file is to boot to a DOS prompt and manually delete the file. Before you do this, you'll want to make a note of the location of the file including the entire path to it. Follow the steps below to delete these types of files.

If you already know the path to the file, please skip to Step 7

1. Click on Start, Find, Files and Folders
2. Type the name of the undeletable file in the Named or Search For box 
3. Make sure the Look In box shows the correct drive letter 
4. Click on Find Now or Search Now and let the computer find the file 
5. Once the file is located, right-click on it and choose properties, make a note of the file location. Usually this is something similar to
   
   c:\windows\system32\undeleteablefilesname.exe
6. Close the search box  
7. Locate a boot disk for your version of Windows, if you do not have a boot disk, follow the steps on the link below to create an emergency boot disk.
   
   How to Create an Emergency Boot Disk for Windows
8. Shut down and restart your computer with the boot disk in your floppy drive. 
9. The computer will boot to a DOS prompt that will look similar to c:\
10. Type the following command and press Enter to delete the filer, substituting the phrase <path to file> with the actual path and file name you discovered in Step 5 above.
    
    del <path to file>
    
    Example: del c:\windows\undeleteablefile.exe
11. Remove the boot disk in the floppy drive and restart your computer 
12. The file should now be deleted. 

Windows XP

In Windows XP, there are a couple ways to remove an undeleteable file, a manual way, and a couple automated ways using some freeware programs. First, I'll show you the manual way.

Manual Method

If you already know the path to the file, please skip to Step 7

1. Click on Start, Search, All Files and Folders
2. Type the name of the undeletable file in the box shown 
3. Make sure the Look In box shows the correct drive letter 
4. Click Search and let the computer find the file 
5. Once the file is located, right-click on it and choose properties, make a note of the file location. Usually this is something similar to
   
   c:\windows\system32\undeleteablefilesname.exe
6. Close the search box  
7. Click on Start, Run, and type CMD and Press Enter to open a Command Prompt window 
8. Leave the Command Prompt window open, but proceed to close all other open programs 
9. Click on Start, Run and type TASKMGR.EXE and press Enter to start Task Manager
10. Click on the Processes tab, click on the process named Explorer.exe and click on End Process. 
11. Minimize Task Manager but leave it open 
12. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory where the file is located. To do this, use the CD command. You can follow the example below.
    
    Example: to change to the Windows\System32 directory you would enter the following command and Press Enter
    
    cd \windows\system32
13. Now use the DEL command to delete the offending file. Type DEL <filename> where <filename> is the file you wish to delete.
    
    Example: del undeletable.exe
14. Use ALT-TAB to go back to Task Manager 
15. In Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the Windows shell. 
16. Close Task Manager

Windows Vista/7

Manual Method

1. Click on Start
2. Type CMD in the Search box
3. Right-click on CMD and choose Run as Administrator
4. Leave the Command Prompt window open, but proceed to close all other open programs 
5. Right click on the Task bar and click on Task Manager
6. Click on the Processes tab, click on the process named Explorer.exe and click on End Process. 
7. Minimize Task Manager but leave it open 
8. Go back to the Command Prompt window and change to the directory where the file is located. To do this, use the CD command. You can follow the example below.
   
   Example: to change to the Windows\System32 directory you would enter the following command and Press Enter
   
   cd \windows\system32
9. Now use the DEL command to delete the offending file. Type DEL <filename> where <filename> is the file you wish to delete.
   
   Example: del undeletable.exe
10. Use ALT-TAB to go back to Task Manager 
11. In Task Manager, click File, New Task and enter EXPLORER.EXE to restart the Windows shell. 
12. Close Task Manager