Possibly the most annoying and frustrating problem I've ever seen in Windows 2000

[Rob Gillespie]

This is something that has been bugging me for a long time, ever since I first got Windows 2000 Pro and starting using it full time.

It concerns the following error message I get when trying to delete Folders:

The ONLY way to get rid of the problem is either to reboot, or to kill the Explorer.exe process, start another and then delete the folder.

I've been trying to narrow down the circumstances this happens in. This how it goes:
[*]Create a new folder on any drive in the system[*]Go into the folder and create a new file (i.e. text file), or copy and paste in one from somewhere else.[*]Delete file[*]Try and delete folder - and I get the above error message.

However, if I open the file inside the folder before deleting it - just opening, not even editing it - I can then delete the folder with no problems whatsoever.

I've been trying this for the last hour and the results seem consistant.

Does anyone have the slightest idea what is going on?

For the record, all partitions in the system are FAT32, but I did try formatting one of them in NTFS and got the same results. The same problem even happens in Safe Mode.

Help!

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"One does not simply walk into Mordor."

Rob's Place

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

It's just that. The file/directory is open. Make sure that no explorer windows are open to the directory, and all that sort of jazz.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Makes no difference where Explorer is currently looking at Shayne, or even if Explorer is open. Only way to get round the problem is to kill the Explorer.exe process or reboot.
I could almost understand it if it wasn't deleting the folder after I'd used the file inside. But only when the file has been opened am I able to delete the folder. If I delete or rename the file inside, bang, I get the error.

 

[Steven K]

Ive never come into this problem unless the actual file or folder was open elsewhere.
Try removing the folder manually from the DOS shell
("rd DIRECTORYNAME")

 

[brian a]

I can't recreate the problem here. It works fine on the few boxes I've tried it on. Can you recreate the problem on other Win2k boxes?
brianca

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I've just installed 2K on my second box and cannot replicate the problem. Of course, my main machine has had newer versions of IE and lots of apps installed since January.
Obviously a reinstall is on the cards, but I'm pretty sure I had this problem before January (though memory has faded some and I wasn't going out of my way to look for the problem then).
This hasn't just happened, it's been going on for months, maybe longer.
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"One does not simply walk into Mordor."
Rob's Place

 

[John Thomas]

Rob, I'd receive the same message when transferring files from one folder to another. The most recent headache was the moving of my mp3 collection over to a larger archive-drive. The files weren't in use (from what I know, they weren't being played, etc) and the other drive was 100% empty.
It seemed as if the problem were more common with the last file being transferred but became random at times.
?

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Rob, don't bother rebooting. Reapply SP2 and that should repair any damage.
If that doesn't work, THEN you can reformat.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Reapplying SP2 didn't make any difference. Looks like most of my Saturday is going to be spent rebuilding the machine. Oh well, I've wanted to rearrange the partitions and covert everything to NTFS for some time so this gives me chance to do it.

 

[Joseph S]

I just found another two.
1)Install W2K->Apply SP2 ->Reformat the Win98 Drive->Restart
Well, it wouldn't boot now that Win98 was gone and it couldn't see that 2000 was on "D" to "rescue" it. So I'm reinstalling it on C where Win 98 was. (couldn't read the message, but it was in yellow text)
2)Force CD Boot->Press enter to start installation->Get to EULA screen
The VGA->Component output was overscanned and I had to punch buttons until discovering F8= OK to the EULA
Update coming on my thread from earlier this week later Saturday.

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

The instructions do clearly say to install 9x and THEN NT (be it 4 or 5) as 9x has no concept of a bootloader, and can't deal with the NT stuff.

 

[Darren Lewis]

Rob, I've had that problem too, and I don't think a reinstall will solve the problem.
I've noticed it often when "previewing" an MP3 in "My Computer" (by using the liitle player that appears on the side when single clicking the file). If I then try to delete the file I get that message. Don't know why, but it happens also when trying to move the file. Using cut and paste gets around it.

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My HT My DVD Collection

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Well, I'm back up with a basic system now and I'm not getting the same problem. Time will tell. I'll make a point of taking regular Ghost backups.
Darren - the problem I was having was the opposite. Files that had just been created but not opened or used would delete fine, but the folder they are in wouldn't.

 

[Chris]

I've never encountered this problems. Are your drives NTFS or FAT32?

 

[Rob Gillespie]

They were all FAT32 before the re-install today. However I did try converting one of them to NTFS but the same problem ocurred.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Right, I'm getting there.
I've got nearly all my apps up and running again now and no problems - at least not until I installed Corel Draw8/PhotoPaint 8. After the reboot, I got the dreaded violation error again (I've been testing out the delete file/delete folder thing after the installation of every app today). This installs a multitude of little sub apps. I've tried deinstalling Media Folders and Corel Thumbnails, but it hasn't cleared the problem. However when I clear out the WHOLE of the Draw/Photopaint package everything returns to normal.
There doesn't seem to be any patch that I can use on the Corel site so it looks like I'll have to dump the program. Shame really, I liked using it. It was a nice package for lazy hacks like me who don't want to spend months learning Photoshop

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"One does not simply walk into Mordor."
Rob's Place

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Yup, defintiely something buried in the Corel packages. I deinstalled it totally, then installed but deselected many of the supplemental components (nothing important though). Problem gone as if it was never there.
Very odd. Very, very odd.

 

[Chris]

Rob-
I now know what your problem is. By default, Corel installs a program called "Finder" it's a control panel applet and a way to "search" for things, it's part of DAD as well..
They updated this in CorelDraw 10 so that it works, but it's broken for both Win2k & Windows NT in anything below 9 SP 3 for Corel.

 

[Trenton McNeil]

On a related note:
Photoshop is worth the time invested to learn it.
It is hands down, my favorite computer program EVER. Even better than the web browser!
Don't try by using a book, just sit down and play for a couple hours, try everything. Try everything a few times. Hit shift/alt/ctl etc., while using tools. Watch for the results. Play some more. Use every filter. Use every blending mode with every filter. Play with layers. Hold down the spacebar while doing anything. Woohoo. Once you have had a fantastic time doing a million things, go find some online tutorials and try to follow them. Its amazing how soon you'll become proficient and begin developing your own 'style' or methods in Photoshop. I have never seen another graphics program do even 1/500th of what Photoshop is capable of, and I don't think I ever will. Hell, I actually BOUGHT the program I like it so much!!!
In short: don't hamstring yourself with a Corel paint product, gimp, paint shop pro, etc. Take the time to learn photoshop, you will soon understand. Just make it fun (that's why NO STARTING WITH A BOOK!)!
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I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo!,
I'd have all my money back. -- Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handey

 

[Rob Gillespie]

So Trenton, you think Photoshop is OK then?

I'll see if we have a corporate copy around somewhere I can play with.
Chris, that's interesting. There was a Corel applet in CP but it wasn't called Finder (may have been something similar though). It's not there now I've deintsalled/reinstalled with less of the sub-apps, but now PhotoPaint is complaining about some missing file, though it still actually works OK. I need to mess about with it more today.