Cannot Delete Folders from Desktop

Happy New Year everyone!

For some time now I have had a problem that searches with Google suggest others are having, but for which I haven't found a cure. I cannot delete folders directly from my XP Pro SP1 desktop - I just get a long delay and then the message:

Error Deleting File or Folder

Cannot delete <folder name>: Access is denied.

Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected
and that the file is not currently in use.​

Needless to say I have the correct rights. Indeed if I open an Explorer window for the desktop folder, using that window I can delete folders on the desktop with no problems. I can also use command prompt commands to delete folders on the desktop. Files do not suffer from the same problem.

In my case I have an added complexity in that I ran out of disk space on my OS partition, so I created a hard link on that partition to point the Documents and Settings folder to a different partition. Both ends of the link are NTFS (I don't think you can even pull this stunt on FAT32). However, others with the same problem don't report this, so it may be a red herring. Certainly all other desktop-related activities work exactly as expected.

Since I fairly actively use the desktop as a pin-board, this problem is driving me nuts. Any suggestions, please?

 

I've already looked at this, but none of it seems relevant. As others have found, the folder is deletable, just not directly from the desktop. Even a newly created, empty directory suffers from the problem.

 

Cann't delete folder / files

Hi,
seems your user don;t have proper rights , refer this ,ensure you have proper administrative rights :

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421


Regards

 

No, as I said, I have the correct rights. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to open an Explorer window to delete folders off the desktop. I've even checked the rights on newly created folders, and as expected I'm the owner and have Full Control rights, with nothing denied. It appears to be a UI issue.

 

Try running chkdsk.

 

chkdsk found and fixed a problem I didn't know I had on a third partition (thank you, rsinfo), but it didn't solve the problem that is the subject of this thread . The partitions relevant to this problem were OK.

 

Try booting into Safe Mode and right clicking on the folder and change it's properties so it is no longer protected then delete it or use Remove on Reboot Shell Extension 1.0.

 

I'm not talking about one specific folder, I'm talking about *any* folder created on the desktop, old or new. Folders can be deleted, but only if I open an Explorer window pointing at the desktop folder or if I use a command prompt command. I'm repeating myself here, but it is IMHO *not* a file attributes problem, or a dodgy file name problem, or a file in use problem, it's a user interface problem.

That shell extension sounds useful, though.

 

Have you tried right click on the desktop and go to arrange icons and uncheck the lock desktop item? It sounds like you may have the desktop locked.

The other possibility I see is if you have the folders located in an all users desktop as opposed to your individual user desktop. IT should not affect things but it might. When you use explorer, does it say documentsandsettings / Brummig / desktop
or does it say documentsandsettings/allusers/desktop ?


The other probable cause would be a problem with a corrupt user profile.

To check this out, go and reboot to safe mode.
Log in with user name Administrator (If you have not password protected this hidden account leave the password blank) and go to control panel / users and create a new user account with full admin priveleges.
Now restart the computer and login to the new profile.
Now create a folder on the desktop and try to delete it.
If you have no problem, then your profile(account ) is corrupt.
There are methods of either copying the new profile to your corrupt one or copying your data to the new profile.

 

Steve,

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this link:

'Online dictionary for computer and Internet technology definition'

Great site for looking up definitions!

(Sorry for butting in here)

 

The desktop wasn't locked, so I locked it and unlocked it, with no joy. That was the sort of thing I thought it might be, so I had high hopes for that.

The desktop is in my own Documents and Settings, not All Users.

To check your final suggestion, I simply logged in as my other half and tried creating and deleting a folder, and it worked. So it sounds like you may have hit the nail on the head. I would rather fix the problem directly rather than via creating a new user and shifting profiles (the problem profile is used for work, so I can't afford to mess it up). However, if you could point me to good advice on how to shift the profile, that would be helpful if I'm forced into doing that, thank you. Can anyone suggest a more direct approach - things that sometimes need a prod to keep the desktop working?

 

Thanks - I'll look into that when I can afford to risk it!