The fix for Windows XP not letting you delete .avi

[snowmoon]

Large mpg's, corruped .avi .wmv, ... files, looking at it funny, bashing M$

Explorers preview function is great if all of your data is 100% correct and everything, but all it takes is one file in a directory of hundreds for the damm thing to crap out. I finally had to turn off web mode for all directories.

[BJ_M]

my avi files or other type video files are sometimes 100gig or more ... its not a mater of waiting a few secs but more like 10 minutes -- but the various fixs above worked ..

[tgpo]

Being a mac user gone XP, this whole concept makes me want to simultaneously laugh and cry...

To be sure this is an oddball glitch in XP, but let me assure you in the end you'll be happier you made the switch.

Right.......

[ShadowRider]

If you can't delete an AVI file in Win XP, you can do so in a command prompt box. However, it then gets deleted completely rather than being transferred to the recycle bin.

How do I delete a file using the command prompt? how do I even open the command line?

[BJ_M]

start - > run -> type "cmd" without the quote marks -> hit ok opens a "dos box"


"del" is the command

DEL (delete)
Deletes a file. Prior to DOS 5.0, a file cannot be recovered immediately; however, there are software utilities available that undelete files.
DEL TEST.FIL
deletes file TEST.FIL
DEL *.TMP
deletes all files with the extension of TMP
DEL *.*
deletes ALL files in the current directory; CAUTION: DO NOT USE THIS COMMAND WHEN IN THE ROOT DIRECTORY
DEL *.*/p
prompts yes or no before deleting each file



in the windows "dos" type command window you have full copy and paste and drag and drop functions also .. just as in explorer

[Fundy]

Hey I tried right clicking on this 700mb AVI file then deleting, then tried playing, then closing window and deleting...still didnt work (sometimes does).
...I wasnt comfortable deleting anything from the registry especially since it meant I wouldnt be able to right click on anymore AVI files to see properties...I d/l'd the Mutilator as suggested by somebody else in this forum and that did the trick. You may have to restart your computer then use the mutilator right from start up. (which is what I had to do to get it to delete the stupid file). This is one program I'll be marking down as a keeper....Thanks for the advice.

[pman1968]

I am using windows 2000 and am having the same problem as xp that i can not delet the avi files. I tried to find the registry key but could not is there a solution on this site that i can be pointed to or does anybody have a sugestion.

[Grizzly]

HELPPPP ... When I apply the fix. I get explorer errors with the MS nag inviting me to send the error to them..

How do I put the key back to see if its the problem? Anyone got the reverse script somewhere?

[Sondra]

A while back I deleted a 19GB AVI, but Windows XP Pro thought it was still there. It was on my system drive, and I just kept deleting programs till finally all the space that should have been there all along showed up.

I just accidentally created a 19GB AVI on a drive I didn't want it on and moved it to the correct one. I don't know how much space was free before I created the file on the first drive, but I think the same thing has happened. I defragmented the drive and there was a huge red, fragmented area separate from everything else. Now it's a huge blue, unfragmented area, still separate from the other files. I looked a few times at the defragmenting process, and a lot of time was spent moving 00000211.avi. When I did a search for 00000211.avi, it didn't show up. I've never given a file that name. The file I moved only shows up in Search at the new location.

I don't want to go into the registry if I can avoid it. If I could find the file, I'd try some of the suggestions here. How can I find it to delete it?

[birdygal]

Thank you ? I finally got rid of an annoying file.

[RabidDog]

I dont think this happens with .ntfs does it... it doesnt happen on my system anyway.

[bchball]

Thanks RiG. I can now run DivXFix on certain divx movies and rename, delete and move them.

[EZMD]

I use Ztree which is an old shell proggy based on Xtree. It's able to delete the file 99% of the time.

[djomega971]

I dont think this happens with .ntfs does it... it doesnt happen on my system anyway.

Yeah, it happens with NTFS too. A friend of mine referred me to this post because I'm having this problem too. My 2nd HD (75Gb) is NTFS (always has been) and that's the one I put all my movies on. My primary HD was FAT32, and I thought that maybe having one drive FAT32 and the other NTFS could confuse XP, or possible be causing the problem. When the opportunity presented itself, I formatted my primary HD and reinstalled XP.

I still can't delete some .avi files from my 2nd HD.

I will try some of the suggestions presented here. I've done reg-hacks before, but I'm not sure about this one. I may try doing it through DOS first, or, if I try the reg-hack, I will export the reg-key (as someone else suggested earlier) so if I have to put it back in, I can.

[RabidDog]

deleting from dos (or even dos box) does work ..its just remembering all those old cmds

[bchball]

This sort of applies to this topic. Does anyone know of an app that can give avi properties info like the bitrate and codec used to make the file. As this is not possible with xp once this reg key is deleted. It's not a must have, i can live without it, it's just that it would be handy now. Thanks people.

[bchball]

Found the app if anyones interested. It's called GSpot and it provides way more info than WinXP does for avi files.

[pr0iv2]

AAAAAAAAA some help this is, only giving advice for winXP
the spyware OS
WHAT ABOUT 2000!!!!
none of that stuff works and shmedia.dll isnt even on my computer!!!
and that registry key doesnt exist on 2k for all i know
i tried to find it too.
somebody HELP ME!!!!!
all media player does is crash every video file that i click on, not just media player either, explorer.exe too
there has to be some way of getting rid of that preview window

[DVO]

I just felt I had to add my way of deleting those files. I use VCDEasy, I select the "Add files" button den select the file and press delete and it goes straight to the trash, no delay at all. You can do this in any program that can open a file. Just type *.* in the File name area and press enter. That will list all file formats, if the program can't open the type of file you want to remove. It doesen't matter since you want it to "go out the Window(s)".8o) When done, just empty the trash can.

[kenweir]

I haven't tried the registry hack or unloading with regsvr, but the following has ALWAYS (100% of the time) worked for me. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you do, it's fast and easy. I haven't tried it in 2000, but am fairly sure it will work there as well.

Close all open programs.

Launch a command prompt:
Click start--programs--accessories--command prompt.

The command prompt window will open.

CTRL-ALT-DEL to open the task manager.

End the current explorer.exe process, but do NOT close the task manager.

Click on the command prompt window that you left open.

Change to the drive/directory that you want to delete a file from.

Find the file and delete it.

Close the command prompt window.

In the task manager, file--run, explorer.exe. (I'm not sure of the exact wording and I'm on my wife's MAC so bear with me.)

Back to normal.

Now, moving around in command prompt is a bit unusual if you don't know how. The following make things much easier.

C:
"Go to the C: Drive"

cd \000000
"Go to the 000000 directory on the current drive"

cd 12345
"Go to the 12345 directory that's located in the current directory."

dir /x /p
"This will show you a directory listing of the current directory, but the /x shows you the 8.3 filenames (you need this to delete the file)."

del h~1276twk.avi
"This will delete whatever the avi file is. NOTE: I actually have had files show up with 8.3 filenames like this."

exit
"Close the command prompt window"

I hope this helps everybody that suffers this problem. I have yet to find a file that I can't delete using this method. I'll try some of the other solutions listed here, but for now, I *KNOW* for a fact that the above works, and that's what I use. I don't lose any functionality in windows and it takes 30 seconds to do, once you get used to it.

This problem affects FAT and NTFS file systems, I use both on my desktop and it's horrible on that machine. I would like to know if it works in 2000, but am not running it, so if anybody does test it there, please let me know.

Anyway, hope it helps some of you.

Kenweir[/code]

[melvin98]

Not sure if this will help anybody but this is what i do. Open up notepad goto file/open goto the folder that has the avi files that cannot be deleted. right click on the file and hit delete the file is gone. You can also cut and paste the file to other folders this way as well.

Kevin

Don't have to edit the registry or boot into safe mode or try all those dos commands that I thought I would never have to use again.

It works for me.

[Azag]

i overcame this by changing the file extensions on my avis a simple solution i don't know if it works for everyone but it worked for me.

[Jah_Rankin]

Thank you ? I finally got rid of an annoying file

get rid of Xp as well.

[mob]

This key, if deleted from the registry, will also help in some cases:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\P layer\RecentFileList

[andyp1]

I found this method works flawlesly and it is only a temporary registy adjustment that you can easily undo once you have deleted the AVI.

Click 'Start'
Click 'Run'
Type in 'REGSVR /U SHMEDIA.DLL'
Click 'OK '
Click 'OK' on comfirmation screen

Delete your AVI / AVIs

Click 'Start'
Click 'Run'
Type in 'REGSVR SHMEDIA.DLL'
Click 'OK'
Click 'OK' on confirmation screen

That's it everything back as it was.
If you don't do the part after deleting your AVIs you will not be able to see the Thumbnail pics.

The good thing about this method is is that one you types in the instructions in the run line they are rermembered so it very fast to do at a later date.

I think it is a great method.

[divx2vcd]

Hi,

Just Rename Those Huge AVI Files like king.avi to king.avv it works very well even in that situation where you want kept those files for some short future works and also to make your OS Fool.

Just Right......... :P

[BJ_M]

can't rename always ... file in use

[divx2vcd]

can't rename always ... file in use

No, problem depending on your system speed just click for once,
take a deep breath, & wait after short while WinXp end up with its
wierd process checking the file. Now do single click on name of file
and rename it.

Or

Type CMD at START-->Run then Press Enter go to desired directory
and rename file.

Or

System File Setting, Set *.avi as to no association from any program.

Regards.

[jeex]

nope, that doesnt work either..

i had this problem for quite a few months.. i was using the old ctrl/alt/del, ending task on 'explorer' and then file/new task/ and then going to where the avi file was.. it would delete some of the times, but not all.. editing the registry is the best way to go about it.

[BJ_M]

nope, that doesnt work either..

i had this problem for quite a few months.. i was using the old ctrl/alt/del, ending task on 'explorer' and then file/new task/ and then going to where the avi file was.. it would delete some of the times, but not all.. editing the registry is the best way to go about it.

jeex is right - doesnt work most of the time for my avi files (which can be huge) no mater how long i wait..


editing the reg fixed the problem ...

i still have to now and then restart windows explorer -- same as in 2000 and XP for some quirkyness that happens now and then (i never shut off machines -- very very rairly)