Unviewable, undeletable hidden files

[Gunblade]

I had this encryption program called Private File 2 (very old) and attempted to unencrypt the file.
Now I did this a few times but I could never see the unencrypted folder. After managing to track down an older copy of the file I unencrypted with no problems only that it had the suffix of 7 i.e. "my file_7".
This meant that it was obviously 1 of 7 of the same name. I attempted to rename back to the original i.e. "my file" but it said that this file name was in use.
If I click to view hidden folders it does not turn up. If I go to the command prompt and attempt to access the folder I can gain access but can not delete the folder itself.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks :)

[mjc]

Windows version, etc.

Have you rebooted since you've decrypted the file?

The decryption program may still be running in the background and holding the file...so in essence it is in use.

[Gunblade]

I have rebooted it.
No success, I'd imagine the encryption program would not be running after a reboot.

[mjc]

it shouldn't be...have you tried in Safe Mode?

[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".

You can use file manager [item 2 on the first menu when you boot the CD] to browse the contents of any NTFS or FAT partition, and manipulate the folders and files [view, delete, copy etc].

I wonder if it would be possible to run the encryption program in this environment?
And would it then be able to do what it cannot do in the Windows [which version?] environment?

[Sylvander]

Well, I tried opening exe files that have not and need no settings in the registry to make them work.
1. Tried the EBCD "File Manager", but it doesn't run exe files.
2. Tried using the DOS command on the EBCD to run Acerose.exe [a password vault program that doesn't put settings in the registry and can be run from anywhere using...Windows obviously], but without success.
3. Tried using Win98SE Startup floppy to run Acerose.exe [no go], and HijackThis.exe, which reported that it didn't run in DOS [does everyone know that? I found out the hard way.]

Does your encryption program run in DOS?

[Gunblade]

Nah, it's a windows program.
I'll try safe mode.