Stubborn media file

I am trying to delete a video file that won't play (unable to download codec). I keep getting a refusal message - "access refused, file is in use by a person or program...". I booted into safe mode and was still unable to delete the file for the same reason(s). I suspect some malicious code was attached. Any 'right-click' activity on this file (delete, rename, etc.) runs extremely slow or not at all AND causes the computer to slow way down. During this the task manager shows 100% CPU usage.
Need suggestions to delete. Virus scan shows no viruses. Nothing suspect in running processes.
Running XP Home AMD K6-2 500 MHz 191Mb RAM
Thanks much.

 

Try deleting from cmd. prompt.

 

You mean use the "del" DOS command? Do I gotta type the full path or "cd" myself down the directory tree?
Thanks for your reply, btw.

 

Whichever method that you use should work! Post back if it doesn't!