erasing a folder filled with locked files

[Guest]

I have a folder filled with all the elements of a program including sub
folders, lots of .dll files and many others. I must delete it to reinstall
it. There is no uninstall program and it does not appear in the list of
prgrams on the remove/alter menu. How do I force the deletion of all files
in a folder regardless of their attributes?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Have you tried deleting in Safe Mode? The problem is that the dll's need to
be unloaded before you can delete them. Safe mode should do that.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Mike.

Sometimes we can uninstall an uninstallable program if we install it again,
then uninstall it. Installing it again (into the same location, if
possible) lets the uninstaller rebuilt its database. The program's own
uninstall utility (or Add/Remove Programs) then can find the data it needs
to uninstall.

If you mention the name of the program, someone here might recognize it and
know about its quirks.

How do I force the deletion of all files
in a folder regardless of their attributes?

One way is to open a "DOS" window and use the Remove Directory command with
the /s switch to include all files and subdirectories. This, of course,
does NOT clean up the Registry or delete any related files in other
directories. But, if you are sure you want to do this, then navigate to the
parent of the directory and enter: rd <foldername> /s

RC

 

[Guest]

Dear Mr. Barnhorst,

Thank you for such a prompt and helpful reply. I had indeed not tried or
even knew that one could delete more efficiently in safe mode. I will try
it.

Mike Good

 

[Guest]

Dear Mr. White,

Thank you for your reply. You gave me a number of ways to solve my problem,
some of which I have tried.

On the matter of going to the dos window, I did that but was unable to
change the directory using the chdir and cd commands to the Program Files
directory. I tried every combination of that name but to no avail.

Actually I was attempting to re-install the program when I was informed that
installation could not proceed because files in the old directory were
proteted or in use. I did all I know to change attributes and to prevent the
files from loading, etc. Still no success.

Finally I changed the name of the sub-directory within the Program Files
directory that held the program, which is MUSICMATCH, and then installed the
program anew. Now I will try to delete the old, renamed directory in safe
mode as suggest by another kind colleague in this group.

Thank you for your advice.

Mike Good

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Mike.

I hope that reinstalling MusicMatch will let you uninstall it.

In the "DOS" window, if you want to work with a folder name or any filename
or path that includes a space character (such as Program Files), you must
enclose the entire pathname in quotes. For example: cd "C:\Program Files"
or rd "C:\Program Files\MusicMatch" /s

Another trick with cd is to use a wildcard. For example, cd pro* will
usually get you into Program Files without the quotes (unless you have
another foldername starting with pro). But the wildcard does not work this
way with some commands; dir pro* would only produce a directory showing
Program Files and any other file/foldername starting with pro.

File "attributes" include Archive, System, Hidden and Read-Only. Use the
"DOS" command attrib /? to see details. But the /s switch causes the rd
command to ignore attributes, deleting files and folders with any or all of
these attributes set. As you can see, as with most powerful commands, it
can be very dangerous if you slip up and delete more than you intended.

Attributes have nothing to do with a message that a file is in use. Any
file, including one with no attributes set, can be in use by a running
program, and WinXP will usually refuse the command to delete such a file
until it is no longer in use. Booting into Safe Mode often allows us to
delete files that otherwise would be used by programs set to run at Startup.

RC

 

[Guest]

Mr. White,

wow, I did not know that about the quotes around a file name in dos. Thanks
that solves a myriad of problems for me. MusicMatch is working fine now.

Mike

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Mike.

You're welcome. And thanks for the report back. It should help others with
the same problem who might be reading this thread.

RC