Temp files will not delete

Hi

I have three files in the temp folder that will not delete, everytime I try to delete them, it says that they are in use by another program, cannot find anything that might be using them, I have tried various cleaners downloaded from your website but to no avail, anyone any idea what the problem is.

 

if it is in a temp file chances are its spyware or virus. What are the names of them and there location?

 

You can del them at Dos

 

To expand on A.Son's reply.

What operating system are you using?

It is relatively easy to delete them in W9x OS's.

(1)Just boot into DOS command prompt (C:/) then
(2)type cd\temp and press <enter> to change to temp directory.
(3)Type dir/p and press <enter>, to get a list of files in the Temp folder. then
(4)type del *.* and press <enter>, to delete all files in the Temp directory if those are the files you want to delete.
(5)If they don't delete, then they probably have their attributes set.
(6)To unset the attributes, type attrib -r -a -s -h *.* and press <enter>.
(7)This should clear the attributes and allow you to go back to
(step 4 above)delete the files.

I am new to XP so haven't had to do the above in XP.

I am sure someone will step in with the solution using XP. Bazza
===

 

Just because something is in the temp directory and in use, does not mean that it is always spyware or a virus. You could be installing an app, where does the setup program extract the files? In the temp directory.

You may be running an application right now, on purpose, and it may utilise the temp directory.

Anyway, in XP try safe mode. Or boot to a boot disk, if you are not in NTFS, or boot to the xp CD and use recovery console.

 

Hi
Thanks to you all for replying, I'm using windows XP, it certainly looks now as though there is an application using these files, I wouldn't have a clue as to how it is doing this or which application is using them, but now the original three have disappeared and in there place there are five different ones, so I guess it looks like there in use, HD cleaner has had no success in removing them, I might as well just live with them as they do not seem to be causing any harm.
As a matter of interest temp files are as follows:

DFD5B3.tmp
DFD98.tmp
DFEBFF.tmp
DFF1B.tmp
DFDBDD.tmp

 

In a similar vein, I have a movie file that I downloaded that I can't delete. I've tried safe mode, but haven't had the balls to try DOS for fear of deleting something important. It is in a folder under my C: drive and it's a big file that is just wasting space.

Any tips? I've tried stopping all processes I could to get rid of that spaceater.

 

Well, in the process of trying to remove that file, it crashed out Gipo. Any other thoughts? Windows XP Pro is the platform.

 

Tried that too. Didn't work. One tough nut to crack.

 

Success! Thanks Halo. I've said it again and I'll say it again, you guys rock!

Two last quick questions:

My Widows explorer periodically slows to a halt requiring me to use ctrl-alt-delete to turn it off, after which it immediately becomes normal again.

Also, when I try to install a new device (camera, etc.), my computer says that I can't because something else is in the process of installing and nothing else can be installed while the other thing is installing. Problem is, nothing is being installed to begin with.

No spyware, adware, virus problems (went through that in February). Normal HJT log. Any clues to this last computer mystery on my -puter?