Why can't I delete a folder? IObit Unlocker - a program for forcibly deleting undeletable files and folders

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Instructions

note

Do not try to remove a folder from a program using the Add or Remove Programs service (or Programs and Features), which is located in the Control Panel. There you can only delete the entire program at once.

Helpful advice

Don't forget to empty the trash, since it is impossible to delete a folder from the program immediately and permanently in the "Programe files" section.

In the operating room Windows system A “safety mechanism” is provided to prevent accidental deletion of data. When you delete a document, movie, or any other file, it is placed in special folder"Basket". At the same time, before emptying the trash can, you still have the opportunity to full recovery deleted information. But this technology also has disadvantages. The first of these is that remote files continue to take up disk space. The second disadvantage is a decrease in security, for example, in corporate networks. But files can be removed an order of magnitude faster.

You will need

Computer running operating system, basic computer skills.

Instructions

To begin, determine what files need to . If there is only one such file, select it and press the key combination Shift+Del. A message will appear indicating that the file will be permanently deleted, click OK. If there are several, press Ctrl key and without releasing it, mark the ones to be deleted one by one files. When they are all selected, press Shift+Del. The procedure takes a few seconds, and from that moment the remote files It is possible only with the help of special ones and not always.

Video on the topic

Helpful advice

On computers that are accessed by multiple operators, the question complete removal data problem is particularly acute. There are cases when a file falling into the wrong hands can lead to serious consequences. Yes, and at home, some personal files It’s better not to show it to your family. To do this, you need to delete files bypassing the trash.

Sources:

programs for permanent deletion data

PC users create and delete daily files using familiar and familiar commands. Sometimes it happens that a number of documents simply cannot be deleted. Those who are familiar with the computer only at the user level are perplexed by this turn of events. However, there is a way out; you can clean your computer even if there is no access to the files to be deleted. access.

Startup

To ensure that a file is deleted, you can use one of the following options: physical destruction of the media; certified device for guaranteed destruction of information; software for guaranteed removal of information.

As you know, the file is deleted logically, but is physically present on the media. Even if the media is formatted, the data can still be recovered. Three main methods of guaranteed destruction of information: physical destruction of the media; certified device for guaranteed destruction of information; software for guaranteed removal of information.

Physical destruction of the carrier

This method is one of the best. No media – no information. Unfortunately, this method is labor-intensive for some types of storage media.

Storage media such as paper, floppy disk, CD, plastic card and some types of flash drives can easily be destroyed by a Shredder-type device. You take the media, put it in the “Shredder” and get your media in the form of sawdust and shavings.

But “Shredder” will not be able to destroy hard drives or flash drives in a vandal-proof case. To destroy them, use available tools, such as: hammer, pliers, screwdriver, scissors.

Certified devices for guaranteed destruction of information

Such devices destroy all information contained on the media and, in most cases, destroy the media itself. This device strikes the carrier with a powerful electromagnetic beam of energy, resulting in demagnetization of the carrier.

To destroy, place the media in the device. Turn it on and give it time to accumulate charge. Press the start button and take a few steps away from the device. As a result, a bang (similar to a gunshot) will be heard and the information will be destroyed.

Software for guaranteed destruction of information

This method is one of the simplest and does not require financial costs. There are many software programs that are guaranteed to delete information. The operating principle is almost the same. They write hexadecimal zeros to sectors where there is no current information. Restoring data after destruction by such software product impossible.

This destruction method is convenient because the media remains operational and ready for further use.

To carry out the removal procedure, download and install the software. Select the media on which you want to delete information, start the deletion process.

Usually there are no problems with deleting on your computer. Selected, clicked Delete key, cleaned the “Trash” - done. But sometimes the deleted information clings to life on your hard drive so much that it cannot be erased. This is where it arises interest Ask, how to delete undeletable files.

It would seem that the paradox is insoluble. If the data is undeletable, then it seems like you won’t be able to get rid of it. But this is only an appearance: in fact, everything can be destroyed, the only question is how much effort will be required to complete the task. Sometimes you even have to resort to the help of special software.

How to delete undeletable files

Why is he still here?

If you are not interested in the reasons why data is not deleted, then you can immediately move on to methods of destruction. For the more curious, below are the most common reasons:

Blocking by antivirus.
Use by another application.
Use of data by another user local network.
File usage by the system.
Lack of administrator rights.

Depending on the reason, the methods for deleting stubborn data differ. If they are used by the system, a reboot will help or Windows startup in safe mode.

If you do not have administrator rights, you need to log in under the appropriate account. In general, let's take a closer look available methods– one or two will definitely save you.

Search for connections

Method one is to restart the computer. In any unclear situation, the first thing to do is reboot the system. If after a reboot the information still remains unavailable for deletion, then try starting the system in safe mode. I’ve already told you how it’s simpler on the “seven” - there’s a cool F8 key that launches the boot mode selection menu.

If rebooting and safe mode do not help, look for information about the file in the antivirus quarantine. It happens: antivirus utility blocks malicious data, preventing the system from accessing it. Accordingly, they cannot be deleted either, which is somewhat illogical. But if you wait for 10 minutes, you can easily erase non-deletable data. The listed actions, of course, must be performed from an administrator account, otherwise nothing will work.

If you have problems uninstalling the application, then look at the list running processes and autorun list. How to do it:

Everything can be done in one window only on Windows 10. If you have the eternal “seven”, then open the startup list through “System Configuration” (Win + R – msconfig).

The task manager on Windows 7 is launched in the same way as on other versions of the Microsoft OS - with the combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc.

Unblock and Destroy

If you have tried the above methods and are already going down to the comments to write something like “difficult” or “doesn’t help,” then give me the opportunity to correct myself. Removing non-deletable files is not limited to using Windows tools. In difficult cases, you cannot do without third party software – file manager or unlocking programs.

Let's start with the file manager Total Commander. He's good because he knows how to bypass some Windows bans and shows hidden data (however, FAR Manager can do this too).

Install Total Commander and find the file or folder that does not want to leave your computer. Highlight and press F8.

If the folder is not deleted, open it through Total Commander and see what's inside. If there is any hidden file, look for it by name in the task manager on the “Processes” tab. If you find it, complete the process and try again to erase the directory through Total Commander.

Instead of Unlocker, you can use other programs: LockHunter, IObit Unlocker or Free File Unlocker. These are proven utilities that will help you deal with system messages type "Access denied" when deleting.

When you try to delete a particular folder in the usual way, the system may display a message stating that the deletion is in this moment impossible. The notification usually states the reason why the section cannot be moved to the Trash. Let's look at the types of errors and take the necessary measures.

Why some folders are not deleted in Windows 10

The system resists deleting certain objects for the following reasons:

files located in this directory are currently being used by some applications. Completely close the utility and try deleting the folder with the files again; You won't be able to delete a folder if it contains a file that is currently being used by an application
The user does not have enough permissions to send the folder to the Trash. As a rule, this applies to system folders, which require administrator rights to delete;
Administrator rights are required to delete some folders
the folder with the files is used by the user on another computer if your PC is connected to a local network. In this situation, all that remains is to wait for him to finish working with her;
There are incorrectly or incompletely recorded files in the folder. If the recording process is on HDD was interrupted, the files are only partially saved and often do not start. As a result, they become “dead weight” for Windows: the OS does not know what to do with them and denies access to them;
Unexpected errors during folder deletion may occur due to the presence of damaged or incorrectly written files
files in the folder have been quarantined antivirus utility. Remove the file from quarantine through the antivirus itself, and then try deleting it again.
The undeleted folder may contain files that are currently located in the “Quarantine” section of the antivirus

Is it possible to delete such folders?

You have the right to freely delete custom ones, which are usually located on local disk D. With directory cleaning on system disk You need to be as careful as possible because of the risk of deleting files important for the operation of the system. Deleting folders needed by the OS can cause it to crash or crash and cause the computer to shut down prematurely.

Just system files you won't be able to delete it. The OS will issue various messages, such as asking for administrator permission, etc.

To delete most system folders you need administrator rights

Nevertheless, clearing system folders of “garbage” is useful: it rids the OS of files it does not need. But you need to know what can be deleted and what cannot. For example, you can delete folders from uninstalled programs in the Program Files section. For one reason or another, they could remain empty or with several files on the PC. In this situation, one of the following methods will be suitable.

In the Program Files folder, look for partitions with programs that have been uninstalled for a long time and delete them, for example, using “ Command line»

Before cleaning the system hard drive from unnecessary folders It is recommended to create a restore point. If the removal is unsuccessful, you can return the system to its original state.

If a message appears on the screen asking for permission from TrustedInstaller (removal protection system components), deleting the folder is not recommended. If you are sure that it can be safely removed from the system, use the method with reconfiguring rights.

If you receive a message asking for permission from TrustedInstaller, delete folders and files only if you are absolutely sure that the system does not need them

If you doubt whether you can delete a particular directory on the system disk, find information about it on the Internet.

Ways to delete folders that don't want to disappear

Depending on the type of problem, choose one or more solutions to solve it, described in detail below.

Removing Windows.old, temporary files folder and other system directories

If you want to clean system partition from garbage, for example, remove old Windows installations from the Windows.old folder and temporary files from Temp folders, but the system does not allow you to do this, use the Disk Cleanup tool:

Open "Control Panel" via " Windows Search", the "Start" menu or in any other way convenient for you. Click on the “Administration” section.
In the “Control Panel” window, find the “Administration” section and click on it once
Select Disk Cleanup.
In the list, click on “Disk Cleanup”
Select your system drive.
Select the drive you want to clean from the drop-down menu
Click on the “Clean up system files” button, because in the current window you can only get rid of some folders and their contents.
For deep cleaning Click on “Clean up system files”
Wait a while so that the system can estimate the amount of memory that can be freed. A window will open with a list of possible partitions to clean. Select the desired directories using the checkboxes, for example, “Previous Windows installations”. Start the process of deleting files from folders using the “OK” button.
Select the necessary items for cleaning and click “OK”
The system will ask if you are sure you want to delete all old Windows versions. In this case, you will not be able to roll back to the previous update. If you really want to delete them and free up space on the system disk, click on “Yes”.
Click on “Yes” if we want to remove previous Windows installations
Removal will take quite a long time, so be patient.
Waiting for the removal to complete

Restarting the computer as a method to solve the problem

Deleting a partition on a hard drive may become impossible due to a single failure in the system or because it is currently using this file. In this case, you can simply restart your PC and the problem will disappear. Never use the Power button on your PC to turn it off.

Closing utilities associated with a folder in Task Manager

If you want to delete a folder with text documents, which are currently open in Microsoft Office, the system will notify you that this action is impossible. She will ask you to close all utility windows and try again.

Close the window and try uninstalling again

But if the utility is closed and the folder is still not deleted, most likely the Microsoft process Office Word(or any other program through which the file was opened) is still hanging in the list of running processes. To stop the application completely, you can restart the computer or remove the task manually in the “Task Manager”:

Video: How to end a process in Task Manager

Changing Attributes

Wrong installed attributes folders may prevent users from deleting them. To correct the situation, do the following:

IN " Windows Explorer» open the directory that contains the folder to be deleted. For example this custom folder"Photo". Right-click on it and click “Properties”.
IN context menu folder click on “Properties”
An additional window will appear on the display. In the “General” tab, find the “Attributes” section and uncheck all the boxes. You need to uncheck the “Read Only” checkbox.
Uncheck the attributes in the “General” folder
Click the "Apply" button. A third window will appear, in which check the second item “To this folder and to all subfolders and files.” Click on "OK".
Apply changes to the folder and to all files and sections attached to it
Try deleting the directory again.

Reconfiguring access rights

If the folder cannot be removed because the user does not have administrator rights, it is necessary to configure the system so that the user becomes the owner of the folder and has full access to actions with it.

Find the folder in Windows Explorer and right-click on it. Select Properties.
Go to the “Security” tab and click on “Advanced”.
In the “Security” tab, click on the “Advanced” button
Click on the "Add" button.
Click on “Add” to go to the next window
Click on the blue “Select Subject” link.
Click on the first link “Select subject”
Click on the "Advanced" button.
Click on “Advanced” to see a list of accounts
Click on “Search” and select yourself in the list below (usually this is the very first item). Click on "OK".
Click on the “Search” button and select your account from the list
Confirm the subject by clicking on the “OK” button.
Click “OK” to save the selected account
In the second part of the window there will be a list of permissions. Check the box to the left of “Full access”.
Check the “Full Control” option in the list of general permissions
Click on the "OK" button to make changes.
Click “OK” to save the permission values
Using the “Apply” button, save the changes made. Set yourself as the owner by clicking on the “Edit” link.
Click on the “Change” link to change the owner of the folder
Select the owner also using the “Advanced” and “Search” buttons.
Check the box next to "Replace owner of subcontainers and objects."
To save all changes, click on “Apply”
Click on "Apply" again and then on "OK" to close the window.
Restart your PC and try deleting the folder.

Video: how to get full access to a specific folder

Using the Command Line

You can get rid of the folder through the “Command Line”:

Video: how to force delete folders using Command Line

Removing in "Safe Mode"

An unnecessary partition may be deleted if the computer runs in “Safe Mode,” in which the system starts only the most important components. The folder will not be locked, you will have access to it. This method may work if there are unsuccessfully written files in the folder. To activate " Safe mode» on Windows 10:

Press the Win + R combination on your keyboard to open the Run window. In the Open field, enter msconfig. It's best to copy and paste it to avoid mistakes. Click on "OK".
Enter the msconfig command in the “Open” field and click on “OK”
The System Configuration window will appear on the screen. Go to the "Download" section.
In the “System Configuration” window, check the box next to “Safe Mode”
Check the box to the left of “Safe Mode”. First click on “Apply” so that all changes are successfully saved, and then click on “OK” to close the window.
Click on “Apply” and “OK”, and then reboot the device
Restart your PC. When restarted, the OS will boot into established mode. Try deleting the annoying folder.
If you want the PC to boot into normal mode, go to this window again, uncheck the item and save the changes.

Video: how to activate “Safe Mode” in Windows 10

Using special utilities

Undeletable folders may contain locked program files that cannot be removed from the PC memory even after completely removing the utilities. Programs specifically block them so that the user can restore the utility if he wants to use it again. Special software can solve this unusual problem.

For example, let's take a small application called FileAssassin from the developer Malwarebytes. It installs quite quickly on your PC and does not require much space. The downside is that the utility is English language, but following simple instructions, you can easily unlock any folder and file in it:

Go to the official website of the utility. Click on Download. Open the downloaded installer and install the application, following the simple prompts in the window.
Click on the Dowload button to download the installer
Launch the software via the icon on the “Desktop”. The main program window will open.
IN initial window FileAssassin check all the boxes in the list of options
Check the boxes next to all the items on the list.
Click on the button with three dots and open the folder you want to delete
Click the button to the right of the empty field with three dots. Select a folder in additional window.
Click on Execute so that all the actions noted in the list are applied to the folder or file from it
Click on the Execute button. A message should appear on the screen indicating that the file was successfully deleted.
Click “OK” to close the window and see if the folder has been deleted

Choice similar programs quite big. For Windows 10, utilities such as IObit Unlocker, LockHunter, Far Manager and others.

Using the Total Commander file manager

Total Commander is one of the most famous and successful file managers for Windows. The utility is paid, but is provided at the beginning trial period for testing (1 month). Using this application, you can forcefully delete a folder that is not erased in regular Windows Explorer:

Go to official resource utilities. Download the program installer according to your system version (32-bit or 64-bit).
Download the Total Commander installer from the official website
Install the utility following the simple instructions in the window.
Launch the program via the icon on the “Desktop”. You will be promptly prompted to use free version product within a month.
You can use the program for free for a month
In the Commander window, find the folder that you previously could not delete. Left-click on it to select it. After that, click on F8.
We find in the program window the folder that we want to delete
Confirm deletion.
Click on “Yes” to delete the folder
The deletion option can also be launched in a way that is more familiar to all users. Right click and select in large menu"Delete" item.
Select the “Delete” option in the folder context menu

There are a number of manipulations that can help in deleting a “stubborn” folder:

The problem of the inability to delete certain folders is more than solvable. The way out of the situation depends on the type of error: closing the program in which the folder file is open; receiving full access to sections; changing attributes and even simply rebooting the system in the event of a single failure.

If you don't have time to delve into the situation, simply restart your computer. In many cases, after a restart, the problematic folder can be deleted in the usual way.

If when trying uninstall Windows reports that it cannot find the element to be deleted, an archiver can help you. 7Zip, WinRAR or a similar program will do. Run it and archive the problematic folder, having first checked the “Delete files after compression” option. The program should automatically erase the directory, and you will only have to delete the created archive.

3. Delete the folder using an administrator account

The inability to delete a directory may be related to access rights. In such cases, the system requires a password from account administrator or simply reports the lack of necessary rights. To bypass this restriction, you will either have to immediately enter the requested password, or log in as an administrator and only then delete the folder.

Viruses and other malware can also prevent the folder from being deleted. using an antivirus, and then try to get rid of the directory again.

5. Check that there are no locked files inside the folder

Often it is not possible to delete a folder because the files attached to it are used by certain programs. It is very easy to check whether such a conflict exists: open the directory, select internal files and try to remove them. If the system refuses to delete one or more objects, use system tools or third party programs. Then delete the folder itself.

If standard conductor refuses to delete the object, try doing it in a third-party file manager. For example, in Total Commander (Windows) or Commander One (macOS).

7. Delete the folder in Safe Mode

If other methods do not help, find the problematic directory and delete it.

If you don’t know how to delete a folder that cannot be deleted, then our material will help you figure it out.

Everyone periodically deals with “undeletable” folders on their PC.

It’s stupid to blame anyone for this, even the system that tells us that this directory is currently busy with some process.

As a result, all liquidation manipulations end in fiasco. Let's get to the main topic: how to delete a folder that cannot be deleted on (win8)?

There are 5 options to solve the problem:

System check;

Viruses;

Folder settings;

Third party utilities.

Let's try to figure out the situation.

Reboot

So, you intend to delete the ill-fated directory, but the system claims that it cannot do this for one reason or another.

The main reason is the use of files by some application or process that is currently running.

The example shows that it is impossible to liquidate the “screenshots” folder, since one or more files are currently being used by one of the Windows programs.

Since most people don’t know which one it is, they have no choice but to restart the machine.

Click “Start” (1), then click on the small square (2) next to the “shutdown” button. Select the item with reboot (3).

System check

If you do not want to restart, but decide to get to the bottom of the truth, check if the application currently running is in the folder.

Let's say you decide to get rid of Skype for some reason, not by uninstalling, but by barbarously deleting the folder in which all the contents of the program are located.

Let's consider this option.

First, let's open the folder. We follow the path: Drive C – Programm Files – Skype.

We see this picture.

And this is what the system produces if you press “Delete” on the keyboard.

Firstly, the program is running, so the ability to uninstall is blocked by the system. Secondly, it “hangs” in the task manager, namely in processes.

You need to close the program and, just in case, “kill” the process so that the notification does not appear again.

How can I delete a folder that cannot be deleted from a flash drive? That’s right, by first scanning it with an antivirus.

Open the antivirus and scan the drive. Then we try to delete the folder. If that doesn't work, you'll have to format the flash drive.

The procedure is as follows. Click right click to the drive and select “format”.

Before us is a menu with settings.

Flash drive capacity;
File system;
Volume label (drive name);
Formatting method;
Start the process.

Focus on file system. FAT 32 should be selected by default. This way, the contents of the drive can be “read” by any PC.

You can give any name, since it does not affect any parameter.

But for better formatting, it’s better to uncheck the “quick cleaning” box. Click “start” and wait.

Folder Settings

This technique is good for network directories. In other words, several PCs are combined into a single subnet.

The administrator creates one or more shared folders where you can dump various information. To prevent anyone from accidentally deleting it, it sets access rights.

This is done as follows. First, open the folder properties with the right button.

Go to the “security” section and click “advanced”.

We select a group or user whose rights we are cutting.

We select the group again, and now we configure the access level.

If you check the two boxes related to deletion, a user over the network will not be able to delete either the folder or its contents.

Let's look at the example of Skype.

Select all the processes that are currently running and click “kill process”.

After this, you can easily get rid of the application, since we “killed” it.

In this simple way, you can clean your system of other programs, applications and folders.

It’s impossible to say that this method is designed for the lazy. In any case, you will need to know the location where the folder is stored.

On the other hand, all programs are initially installed in the Programm Files folder.

How to delete a folder that is not deleted from the desktop and other places on the PC?

By following our advice, you can easily get rid of various software that is stored in directories.

The latter, in turn, can be easily and naturally eliminated.

Important! The system will never “swear” if the list of files located in the folder is not used anywhere at a given time. Whether it's a set of photos, movies or music. If you do not use the file, but for some inexplicable reason you cannot clean your computer, then the contents of the directory are simply infected with a virus. Just in case, scan your system for unwanted software and be careful when downloading something from the Internet.

In all other cases, the culprit is simple negligence and unwillingness to read the message in the dialog box, which clearly explains the reason for the impossibility of deleting the folder.

How to delete a folder or file that cannot be deleted? Just!

The answer has been found! Without any installation programs on computer!