can't delete msn gaming zone\windows

[John]

xp pro single user. Have updated to the "2" thing

In msn gaming zone lies the directory "windows" with nothing in it.
There is nothing else in msn gaming zone

When I try to delete it "file being used by another program" error.
Same error in cmd mode. Have uninstalled gaming zone and erased every
occurrence of the name in the registry. Nothing is "using" the file
except, of course, windows protection or security (?)

This works temporarily:
1. boot into safe mode
2. get into cmd mode
3. end process explorer
4. delete the file in cmd mode

The file disappears so I imagine it is successfully deleted.

But then:

I reboot into regular mode and the file has reappeared.

Clearly windows has picked up the mistaken notion that this file is very
important.

What can I do now? There are 4 other files that act like this on my system.

John

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

MSN Gaming Zone is a Windows system folder and cannot be deleted.
If you are running Windows XP Professional, you can disable access
to this folder via Group Policy.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| xp pro single user. Have updated to the "2" thing
|
| In msn gaming zone lies the directory "windows" with nothing in it.
| There is nothing else in msn gaming zone
|
| When I try to delete it "file being used by another program" error.
| Same error in cmd mode. Have uninstalled gaming zone and erased every
| occurrence of the name in the registry. Nothing is "using" the file
| except, of course, windows protection or security (?)
|
| This works temporarily:
| 1. boot into safe mode
| 2. get into cmd mode
| 3. end process explorer
| 4. delete the file in cmd mode
|
| The file disappears so I imagine it is successfully deleted.
|
| But then:
|
| I reboot into regular mode and the file has reappeared.
|
| Clearly windows has picked up the mistaken notion that this file is very
| important.
|
| What can I do now? There are 4 other files that act like this on my system.
|
| John

 

[David Candy]

You can do nothing. It's windows file protection. There are 21 files that CAN be in that directory (and 2 for Xerox). XP needs to open a directory as a file for WFP to work.

 

[John]

1. I wish I could run my computer the way I wanted to rather than the
way Microsoft wanted me to. It's hard to understand why a gaming zone is
an important system folder.

2. It would have been nice if intend of the message "file in use"
windows would provide the message "System folder, can not be deleted"
thus saving me a couple hours of trying. But microsoft is well known for
its non-informative error messages from 1982 on.

3. Is there any way to turn off all of xp's protection things?

John