Not infrequently, when trying to remove a program, users are faced with the fact that the program is not removed. When trying to start the uninstallation of the program through the "Control Panel", the user receives an error that interrupts the uninstallation process. After that, the program remains on the computer.
If you also don't know how to uninstall a program that won't uninstall, then this article should help you. Here we consider three simple and effective ways solutions to this problem.
Method number 1. Stop all processes that are associated with the program.
If the program is not removed, then most likely it is in this moment works. In order to stop the program, open " " (for example, using the key combination CTRL + SHIFT + ESC) and go to the list of processes. In the list of processes, you need to find those processes that are associated with the program and stop them.
If you have Windows 8 or Windows 10, then you need to right-click on the process you want to end and select End task from the menu that appears. On Windows 7 and older Windows versions, the menu item you need will be called "End Process".
After all processes associated with the program are stopped, you need to try again to uninstall the program. If this method did not help to remove the program, then try restarting your computer and try again. Perhaps something has hung up on you and thus blocked the removal of the program.
Method number 2. Use a special program to remove programs.
If the program is not removed even after a reboot, then you can try to remove it using a special program. The most popular program of this kind is . This program allows you to remove any other programs. At the same time, uninstallation is possible even in cases where the uninstaller does not work or the program is not displayed in the control panel.
Using Revo Uninstaller is quite simple. First you need to run this program and wait until it scans the computer and displays all installed programs. After that, you need to right-click on the program you want to remove and select "Uninstall".
After that, a window will appear in which you need to select a method for uninstalling the program. In most cases, the "Moderate" option will do.
Here you can click on the "Select All" button and confirm the deletion by clicking on the "Next" button.
Method number 3. Remove the program through safe mode.
If none of the above helps to remove the program, then you need to boot the computer into and try again.
In safe mode, only the main components of the operating system are loaded; other programs that can block uninstallation are not loaded. Therefore, in safe mode, the removal should go without problems.
Hi all. I propose to talk today about files that are not removed from the computer. After all, there are always a lot of files on the computer, you download them from the Internet, dump them from a USB flash drive, create them yourself. Each user periodically deletes junk files. Someone does it just to free up disk space, someone for security purposes, and someone just keeps their computer in order. But it happens that the selected file is not deleted. The system writes that there is no access to it or it is busy with another process or is being used by another program. Also, sometimes a file is not deleted from the computer due to the fact that you do not have sufficient rights to do so.
Is it possible to delete such files from the computer
If you are wondering how to delete a file that is not being deleted, then you probably have good reasons to destroy it. But you need to be careful and pay attention to what these files are and in what folders they are located. Often novice users want to free more space on the hard drive, so they go into system files and try to delete what is used by the operating system. Even such files can be deleted, but this will lead to errors in the operation of the computer or make it impossible to boot it. And in fact, it will free up a very small amount of space.
Before deleting a file, you should analyze what it is responsible for and how it ended up on your computer. If you downloaded the program, installed it, but now want to delete the downloaded files, then you will not always succeed. They can still be used by the system until the next reboot. Everything that you personally downloaded from the Internet can be safely deleted. But sometimes such files may not be deleted. Let's figure it out.
The easiest way is reboot
If the file is not deleted from the computer and you see a message that it is being used by a process or program, then you need to restart the device. The main point here is that it is actually used by a program or process, you can't see it, but the computer uses the file in its work. For example, you opened a photo in a photo editor and made some changes, after which you saved a new one and closed the program. But when trying to delete the old file, problems arise. This is because you closed the program, but the process hung and did not close, the photo is attached to this process and you have no way to delete it. In other words, the system crashed.
As a rule, restarting the computer closes all processes and programs, frees RAM from unnecessary information and you calmly, in the standard way, delete the file from your computer. Therefore, it makes sense to start deleting from the very easy way, only after that proceed to further attempts.
End the process manually
It is not always possible to restart the computer, because at the moment the programs you need may be open and you do not want to start your work from the very beginning. In this case, you can try to end the open process yourself that uses the file to delete. The deletion error message usually indicates which program or process is using the file. Therefore, you need to go to the task manager, find this file and end it.
Press key combination Ctrl+Alt+Del and select " Task Manager».
Launch Task Manager
After that, you need to go to the tab " Processes”, find the process that was displayed in the error message. If there is such a process, then you right-click on it, select the item " End Process" or " End task". After the process is stopped, you can make another attempt to delete the file, if everything was done correctly, then the file should be deleted from the computer without the need to restart.
Select "End Process" or "End Task" (depending on your OS)
File cannot be deleted due to insufficient permissions
Another common mistake when deleting is that you do not have access rights to perform this operation. This happens often enough that you may encounter this problem. If the file is not deleted from the computer due to lack of access, then you need to analyze what kind of file it is. We decided that everything on the computer should not be deleted, if you did not create and download this file, then it does not always need to be deleted.
The thing is that the developers of the operating system have foreseen that inexperienced users will try to remove what is not worth deleting, as the computer will stop working. That is why some system files are in a special legal field, only the system can get unlimited access to them, only it can change them and delete them. Therefore, you can delete such a file only by booting through live CD or having received the rights of the system. You can do it, but is it worth it?
In order to make further actions with such a file, you need to know what you are trying to delete. If you have a certain system file name in front of you, then you can find information about it on the Internet without any problems and immediately understand whether you can delete it or it is better to leave everything as it is. Very often, viruses are hidden under such system files, so they must be removed using an antivirus program.
Deleting files by booting from LiveCD
Sometimes rebooting and ending various processes do not give you any positive result, the files are still not deleted from the computer. In this case, there is a win-win option, but it is available for more experienced users. But even a beginner, with a strong desire, can understand this method and implement it on their own. Its main essence is to boot under another, independent operating system, enter the file system and delete all unnecessary files.
In most cases, it is your operating system that does not allow you to delete a particular file that it thinks is very necessary for it. This is necessary to protect system information. It is the OS that does not give you access rights, it is the OS that uses the files in various processes and programs. The file itself is simple information on the disk, so it is quite easy to delete it without an OS. But first you need to do boot disk or flash drive with LiveCD.
There is a lot of information on the Internet regarding that and the disk, so you will not have any problems. Once you boot from such a system, you can do whatever you want with your files on disk. But remember that now there is no right to make a mistake, if you delete something that was not worth it, then the computer will not be able to boot normally or it will work with errors.
How to delete a file with Unlocker
If the file is not deleted from the computer and you see various errors in front of you, then Unlocker program. It's perfect free program, which you can easily download from the official website. The program is lightweight and installs in a few seconds. Immediately after installation, a new item appears in the context menu that appears when you right-click on a file.
When you right-click on a file, a new item appears
By clicking on this item, you will see a program window asking you to choose what needs to be done with this file. In the drop-down list, you need to select the delete command and then say goodbye to the file. The program bypasses most of the obstacles in deleting a file and performs the task without any problems. But again, you need to be careful what you do. You must understand that this way you can delete system files without problems and obstacles, which is not a good idea.
Also pay attention to the fact that viruses are often spread under such programs, which will aggravate the performance of your computer. If you download the Unlocker program, then do it only on the official website or from trusted sources. Be responsible about what you download to your computer and even more so what programs you install. Sometimes, after installation, you get not quite the new features that you expected, and you have to carry the computer for repair.
Many files in Windows system are blocked from deletion, as they may entail a series of changes. Deleting such files and folders is highly discouraged so as not to harm everything operating system, however, if you are experienced and confident user computer, you can try to get rid of such files. In addition, many programs and applications leave behind undeleted files, which, in turn, can take up an impressive amount of memory. This “garbage” from programs must first be unlocked with special software, only then it can be deleted like a regular file. In this article, you will learn how to remove residual files, as well as eliminate the causes of some blockages.
How to delete a non-removable file: check the processes in the task manager
Even a simple photo or you cannot erase a picture while it is running in the system processes. For example, you just watched a movie and you want to delete it from your computer, but Windows gives an error. Most likely, your video file remained running in the player and simply cannot be deleted because of this. Go to task manager and make sure you don't have any open processes, which may use a non-removable file.
- Hold down the CTRL+SHIFT+ESC key combination on your keyboard. You will see a window called "Windows Task Manager". Here you can see all running applications, stop them or close them altogether.
Go to the "Processes" tab.
- Take a close look at what processes you have open. Perhaps one of them is using the correct file.
To close this process, click on it once with the left mouse button and click on the “End Process” button in the lower right corner. - The process will be stopped and the file will be freed. Now delete the required file as usual. Windows won't bother you anymore.
How to remove a non-removable file: cleaning the registry
The file left in the registry or somehow associated with it cannot be deleted from the computer. Before cleaning the registry, think carefully about whether you have enough skills for this. There are two cleaning options: with your own hands and through specially created computer cleaning programs. The first method is suitable for experienced users, it is more reliable.
Cleaning the registry yourself
Open the search bar, to do this, click on Start in the explorer menu.
- Type “regedit” in the search bar and press the Enter key to start the search. At the top you will see the file you are looking for, click on it with the mouse.
- The Windows Registry Editor will open in front of you. You need to be very careful with this window and know for sure which files are preventing you from deleting a folder or other file on your computer. The essence of the work is as follows: you find in the registry the folder that has not been removed from the program or uses the required file and delete it.
- Folders are divided into system, program and user folders. Find the one you need using the menu on the left and delete.
Cleaning the registry with special programs
To save precious time and not delete unnecessary, there are special utilities for working with junk on your computer. One of the most popular such programs is called CCleaner. Download it from the official website of the developer to completely remove programs, clean the registry, clear the cache of browsers and other utilities.
- Visit the official website at http://ccleaner.org.ua/download and click on the field to download the program. It is possible to download two versions: portable and regular. The portable version is not installed on a computer, and you can download it to a USB flash drive or disk for use on other computers.
- Installing the software will only take a couple of minutes. Just follow all the instructions on the screen.
- Open the program after installation and go to the “CCleaner” tab. There will be a “Windows” section, in which you need to mark the first five items in the “Windows Explorer” section and the seven in “System”. This will clear the cache, trash, registry, and other unnecessary files that slow down your computer and prevent you from deleting files.
- Click on the “Run Cleaner” button and wait for it to complete. Try deleting your file now.
How to delete a non-removable file: unlock the file
Many programs impose a lock on their files so that they cannot be deleted even after the software is completely erased from the computer. Usually, these files are designed to store information about the previous settings and logs of the program so that you can restore them if you wish to install the software again. You can only unlock such files with special utilities, here is a small list for you to choose from:
- FileAssassin is a free program that is distributed freely. It will be used as an example in this article.
- Unlocker is the most popular program for unlocking files, it can remove the block even from some system folders and files.
- LockHunter allows you to work in the program as well as in the task manager, stopping all unnecessary processes.
- iobit unlocker. The program supports the Russian language.
Go to the official FileAssassin website to download and click "Download".
In the folder where all the files you downloaded are saved, find and double-click on the file FileAssassin.exe
The installation process is not much different from other programs:
- Select the installation directory.
- Agree with the license agreement.
After the installation is complete, check the box next to the words “Run FileAssassin” and click “Finish”.
The program will automatically open. On the first line, you need to specify the file that is not being deleted. Click on the three dots on the right side of the window.
Select a file and click "Open".
Make sure you have "Attempt FileAssassin's method of file processing" selected and that the first three sub-items are checked. Click "Execute".
That's all. The lock on the file is completely removed, you can delete it like a normal file with the Delete key.
Friends, I think everyone has encountered a problem at least a few times and shouted, I can’t delete the file from the computer, you click delete, but an error pops up and nothing happens.
It is this problem that I will reveal in this article, I will show how to deal with it correctly and why such an unpleasant situation occurs at all.
Can't delete file from computer
So first you need to understand what kind of glitch is happening and why it is impossible to delete a file or folder. To do this, you can read a few dozen articles on the Internet or you can take my word for it. Everything is very simple, you can’t delete it because the file or program that you are going to utilize is used in one of the processes on your computer.
That is, for example, while you are browsing the Internet and the browser is running, you will not be able to delete some of the files related to its work. The fact is that at this moment it is running and as soon as you turn it off, close or end the process, the files will be easily deleted.
I can't delete a file from my computer, what should I do?
The main problem is that the vast majority of users do not understand the processes running on the computer and do not even have a clue where this data can be viewed at least in passing.
As a brief introduction, I’ll tell you where you can see it, you need to press the key combination on the keyboard at the same time Ctrl+Alt+Del
You will see a screen with a choice of actions, where you click, device manager, a small table will open. Next you need to go to the tab - "Processes" and you will see everything that is actually happening on the computer now
Actually manually, you can always search here for a process that interferes with the removal and complete it. But this, so to speak, is not very convenient, and for many it seems completely dangerous and impossible.
The fear of turning off something wrong in most users dampens the desire to climb there. I am familiar with this and therefore I will not upload examples and training on calculating processes, as well as which ones can be completed which ones cannot. Why do all this if it's been there for a long time alternative solution which works automatically.
So, in order for the computer to execute your commands and delete any files. Just download the Unlocker program and install it on your computer. And of course, I checked many sites with this program in advance. What was my surprise or even horror at how much rubbish they offer on the network. I had to find a soft version and upload it to your site, now you can download the program for free, without viruses and registrations.
Brief instructions for using the Unlocker application
Once you have downloaded the program, all you have to do is install it and run it. At first glance, it would seem that nothing happened, but it is not. To use the program, simply point to a file or folder, right-click and select the Unlocker program from the drop-down list of actions.
An action selection window will appear in front of you, it remains only to decide what exactly you want to do. Delete a file or folder, move or rename an object. The program will automatically terminate all processes that will prevent the completion of the task.
Video review: how to delete a file or folder? Program Unlocker
If you have questions or information was not enough? Write about your situations in the comments to the article. I will try to help you as soon as possible, good luck.
If the computer reports that the file is open in another program
Most often, the inability to delete a file in Windows is due to the fact that it is busy with some kind of system process. When this happens, the message "The action cannot be performed because this file is open in" appears. The name of the program».
In this case, you need to close the program that uses the file and try to delete it again. If you see her window, just close it. If a program is running in the background and you don't know how to close it, launch the "Task Manager" (Ctrl + Alt + Del), find this program by name in the list, right-click on it and select "End Task".
If you cannot find desired program in the "Task Manager", try a third-party utility that unlocks files. The free app LockHunter will do. After installing it, right-click on the file and select What is locking this file?. When the LockHunter window appears, click on the Unlock It! button in it.
Then try deleting the file again. If unsuccessful, restart your computer and try again. To completely remove from your computer, do not forget to empty the Trash.
If your computer says you are denied access
Sometimes you can't delete a file because your account doesn't have permission to do so. In such cases, Windows reports that access is denied. To solve this problem, you need to change the owner of the file. In the process, you may need a login and password from the PC administrator account.
To change permissions, right-click on the file and go to "Properties" → "Security" → "Advanced". Next to the "Owner" item, click "Change", then "Advanced" and "Search". Select the current one from the list account and click OK.
After that, you will most likely be able to delete the file in the usual way. If it doesn't work, try restarting your computer and try again.
How to delete a file in macOS
If the Mac says the file is in use
To get started, manually close the applications in which you used this file and try erasing it again. They can interfere with uninstallation, as they do on Windows. If unsuccessful, restart your computer and try the uninstall again.
If that doesn't work, enter Safe Mode. To do this, restart your Mac while holding the Shift key. Try moving the file to the trash and emptying it, then restart your computer in normal mode.
If the file cannot be deleted for other reasons
The file may not be deleted due to disk errors. Therefore, launch the "Disk Utility" in the Finder → "Programs" → "Utilities" section and check the disk on which the file is located in it with the "First Aid" service.
Once verified, restart your Mac and try deleting the file.
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