Help! I cannot delete folder

I have a bizzard and unexpected problem. I have a folder on my laptop that is 17 gig large. I cannot delete this folder or anything in it because when I try it errors out stating that the access is denied or the folder is write protected. I try to reset the read only attribute on it and will not let me. I even tried to boot to the repair console and log on as the administrator and reset the attributes on the folder. It states access denied.
It would not be a big deal except for the folder size.
This was a folder I used to store video files.
Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance!!

 

Just a shot ...

If a "program" is using an item in the folder, the O/S
will not allow access. Are one of those video files in use?

Also, does the folder have sub-folders? If so, perhaps
delete the sub-folders first and then the main folder.

 

MoveOnBoot This is a program you can use to try to delete the folder. It works by deleting it when you boot your computer before windows has loaded and hopefully the folder won't be in use. Worth a try.

 

normally, this works:

'run' -> open a command window by typing 'cmd'

press ctrl+alt+delete, tab processes, then locate 'explorer.exe', end process and confirm

go now to the command window, locate and delete the folder

when done, restart explorer.exe using ctrl+alt+delete, tab applications, new task

good luck

 

This is how I solved it

This is how I solved it.
Posted FYI
Thanks for the help I found this in a newsgroup search!

Unfortunately, XP Home using NTFS is essentially hard wired for "Simple File
Sharing" at system level.

However, you can set XP Home permissions in Safe Mode. Reboot, and start
hitting F8, a menu should eventually appear and one of the
options is Safe Mode. Select it. Note, it will ask for the administrator's
password. This is not your administrator account, rather it is the
machine's administrator account for which users are asked to create a
password during setup.

If you created no such password, when requested, leave blank and press
enter.

Open Explorer, go to Tools and Folder Options, on the view tab, scroll to
the bottom of the list, if it shows "Enable Simple File Sharing" deselect it
and click apply and ok. If it shows nothing or won't let you make a change,
move on to the next step.

Navigate to the files, right click, select properties, go to the Security
tab, click advanced, go to the Owner tab and select the user that was logged
on when you were refused permission to access the files. Click apply and
ok. Close the properties box, reopen it, click add and type in the name of
the user you just enabled. If you wish to set ownership for everything in
the folder, at the bottom of the Owner tab is the following selection:
"Replace owner on subcontainers and objects," select it as well.

Once complete, you should be able to do what you wish with these files when
you log back on as that user.

 

Excellent find jawdoc and thank you VERY MUCH. I had searched for a way to disable Simple File Sharing in XP-home (causes some network problems for lots of home networks) and had completely failed.

I have never been anywhere near XP-home and don't have a copy to play with so I'd love to hear from anyone who does if the work-around really does allow that Simple File Sharing abomination to be turned off.