Can't rename files - very frustrating!!!

[Mini-Me]

Hi there everyone.
:(

Sad face, cos I cannot rename files on one of my machines.
The machine is Win XP Pro SP1a

Every single time I try, all I get is a message telling me that: "Cannot rename xxx.avi - the file is in use by another person or program."

This is UTTER BS - the file is not used by anything on the home network.

The files are .AVI DivX video files.

I have tried:

- Simple renaming - does not work.
- Shutting down(not hibernating) every machine on the network other then the one with the files I want to rename - this didn't work either
- Re-booting into safe-mode and trying to rename - same error
- Running latest versions of SpyBot and AdAware and removing anything they find
- Set the system to "Show system and hidden files" and unticked "Hide extensions of known file types"
- The renaming is being attempted via the box that has the files - NOT via the network, so the network can't be the cause of this...

I'm kinda tearing my hair out trying to solve this - it is intensly annoying to have an OS that will not let you rename files you created yourself...
:mad:

Can anyone help me find a way to bash the living ^%$@ out of XP and MAKE it allow the renaming of my own bloody files?!?!!!

Thanks.
Grrrrrrrrr.

[Mini-Me]

Could it be related to file-size, do you think? The file is 2.6GB in size...

[Sylvander]

Try using the EBCD File Manager to rename the files.
This seems to have no problem [seeing and] doing things that can't be [seen and] done within Windows. :)

[Mini-Me]

Sounds good.
How do I make an EBCD or where can I download a CD image from?

Forgive my ignorance, but I have never needed to use this EBCD before...
(so I have never had a copy)

I will have a sniff around on the MS site - perhaps I can get it there, but the MS site is such a complicated beast - just finding the info you want is a challenge!!!
;)

[PrntRhd]

Start here:
http://ebcd.pcministry.com/

[Mini-Me]

Hi everyone.
:)

It would seem I am not the only one to suffer this "Can't delete/rename" error.

They propose a solution to it here via registry hacking, which is what I am going to do.

All the files I have problems with are DivX video files, and it would seem that there is something that upsets XP about DivX files...

How to rename/delete files that won't rename/delete (http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1057548879)

[Sylvander]

1. How to make a free “Smart Boot Manager” floppy
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41498
This makes it easier to boot a chosen drive [particularly the one holding the EBCD].

2. How to make a free EBCD bootable CD
http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=41485
This has a number of useful utilities included including "Image" [for DOS, by Terabyte] & "File Manager".

[Mini-Me]

Well, the registry hack worked great.
No more BS from XP about not being able to rename or delete.
:)

[Paul Komski]

Thanks Mini-Me its a useful one to tuck away for a rainy day. Your link led me to a fuller explanation: ie that just hovering over the file in explorer puts it "into use".

The obnoxious bug in XP that causes Explorer to read the entire contents of broken AVI files before allowing any access to them is caused by bad behavior of shmedia.dll.

This problem manifests itself by causing Explorer to read the entire contents of an AVI file, regarless of its size or location any time the mouse pointer is hovered over it, or an attempt is made to access it in windows explorer. This causes 'permission denied' errors when trying to simply move, copy or delete these files as they cannot be changed while Explorer has an open handle on them.

This also causes a DoS situation where large AVI's are stored on remote shares and Explorer keeps reading the files from beginning to end each time they are accessed.

To correct this misbehavior in Windows XP, remove the following registry key.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Cl
asses\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}\InProcServer32

This will prevent Explorer from loading shmedia.dll in response to file property queries on these files. This will not effect your ability to play files, get file attributes, or even view thumbnails. Say goodbye to all explorer.exe 100% CPU issues.

Just an extra note, if you do a "search" for this key it will not be found, look for it manually it is very easy to find. As always newbie or not, if you FUBAR your registry its your own fault. This fix does work, I use it and have applied it to many XP machines. Now go ahead and fix this royal pain in the a**! ... taken from http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8522&highlight=delete+file

[Mini-Me]

That's an excellent description.
:)

This happened to me all the time too(100% CPU when you try to right-click/properties the file).

Having found and deleted the registry key, and rebooted the machine, you can do anything you like to the AVI files - BLISS!!!
:cool: