Can't delete folder

This is really about three separate questions, but they're all related,
so please bear with me as I lay out the situation.

I have folders on my HD that I can't delete. When I ask Windows
Explorer to delete one of them, I get the error message:

"Cannot delete foobar. It is being used by another person or program..."

The attributes for the folder show that it is marked read only, but
Windows won't let me change the attribute.

Hint #1: I didn't create the folder. It was created by the Microsoft
Visual C++ Express IDE. I neither need nor want that folder or its
contents anymore, but VC++ is hanging on to it for dear life.

Hint #2: Exploring the registry with RegEdit, I see that there are
registry entries, not only for the folder, but also for all the source
files that used to be in it. Some are links, which is, I guess, why
Windows won't let me delete the folder. This brings up two questions:

1) WHY WOULD ANYONE DO SUCH A THING? (muck around with my registry)
2) How can I safely clean up the registry? Is it as simple as deleting
the entries, or are there other, more subtle, connections that might be
left dangling?

Thanks

Jack

"Jack Crenshaw" <jcrens@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:O_mdnYqWC5ePXGfanZ2dnUVZ_ualnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
> This is really about three separate questions, but they're all related, so
> please bear with me as I lay out the situation.
>
> I have folders on my HD that I can't delete. When I ask Windows Explorer
> to delete one of them, I get the error message:
>
> "Cannot delete foobar. It is being used by another person or program..."
>
> The attributes for the folder show that it is marked read only, but
> Windows won't let me change the attribute.
>
> Hint #1: I didn't create the folder. It was created by the Microsoft
> Visual C++ Express IDE. I neither need nor want that folder or its
> contents anymore, but VC++ is hanging on to it for dear life.
>
> Hint #2: Exploring the registry with RegEdit, I see that there are
> registry entries, not only for the folder, but also for all the source
> files that used to be in it. Some are links, which is, I guess, why
> Windows won't let me delete the folder. This brings up two questions:
>
> 1) WHY WOULD ANYONE DO SUCH A THING? (muck around with my registry)
> 2) How can I safely clean up the registry? Is it as simple as deleting
> the entries, or are there other, more subtle, connections that might be
> left dangling?


See these articles on taking ownership of files/folders.

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421

How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in Windows
XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308418/en-us

How to set, view, change, or remove special permissions for files and
folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308419/en-us


--
Rock [MS-MVP]

Rock wrote:
> "Jack Crenshaw" <jcrens@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:O_mdnYqWC5ePXGfanZ2dnUVZ_ualnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
>> This is really about three separate questions, but they're all
>> related, so please bear with me as I lay out the situation.
>>
>> I have folders on my HD that I can't delete. When I ask Windows
>> Explorer to delete one of them, I get the error message:
>>
>> "Cannot delete foobar. It is being used by another person or program..."
>>
>> The attributes for the folder show that it is marked read only, but
>> Windows won't let me change the attribute.
>>
>> Hint #1: I didn't create the folder. It was created by the Microsoft
>> Visual C++ Express IDE. I neither need nor want that folder or its
>> contents anymore, but VC++ is hanging on to it for dear life.
>>
>> Hint #2: Exploring the registry with RegEdit, I see that there are
>> registry entries, not only for the folder, but also for all the source
>> files that used to be in it. Some are links, which is, I guess, why
>> Windows won't let me delete the folder. This brings up two questions:
>>
>> 1) WHY WOULD ANYONE DO SUCH A THING? (muck around with my registry)
>> 2) How can I safely clean up the registry? Is it as simple as
>> deleting the entries, or are there other, more subtle, connections
>> that might be left dangling?
>
>
> See these articles on taking ownership of files/folders.
>
> HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421
>
> How to set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions in
> Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308418/en-us
>
> How to set, view, change, or remove special permissions for files and
> folders in Windows XP
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308419/en-us
>
>
Thanks!!!

Jack

"Jack Crenshaw" <jcrens@earthlink.net> wrote

<snip>

> Thanks!!!

You're welcome.

--
Rock [MS-MVP]