Cannot delete excel file

  • Thread starter Thread starter BK
  • Start date Start date
B

BK

Quick background: I am working on a website for someone
else and they have many word and excel documents linked to
in the website. The files are stored on a network drive
(so I don't have access to the server beyond NFS/netbios
files access).

Whenever I do a release, I make a copy of the website for
archive purposes. Now I want to delete the extra directory
and there are spreadsheets that it won't let me erase. I
can delete the file, but when I refresh the directory it's
still there! If I try to erase the directory it says the
directory is not empty. I'm posting this in the excel
group because I think it has to do with the files being
"Protected"?

When I open the files it claims the files are in use and
they are read only. I know this is wrong because no one
knows where I have these files stored.

Very confused for the first time,
Brian
 
When this happens on a local pc (single user/local harddrive), the usual answer
is to close excel, clean up the windows temp folder and maybe reboot the pc.

But since it's a network server, maybe rebooting the server will release that
file.
 
Problem files can usually be deleted by using MSDOS commands via th
Command Prompt window.

USING MSDOS COMMANDS
1. Open windows 'Command Prompt' application (cmd.exe)
Type each line as below (without bracket explanation) followed b
Enter.
2. H: (drive letter and colon to get to drive)
3. CD \WINDOWS\TEMP (change to directory required
4. DIR /P (optional to see file names)
5. DEL BOOK1.XLS (delete file)
(5a. DEL *.tmp (deletes all files with .tmp suffix))
(5b. DEL *.* (deletes all files in directory))
6. EXI
 
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