"Can not delete folder": no reason for panic

Often on the forums a cry for help is heard: "I can not delete the folder!". Someone may think that the problem is contrived, since operations with files are studied at the first lessons of computer science. After all, this is the basis, without which further full-fledged work with the system is almost impossible. So maybe this green newcomer says: "Can not delete the folder"? However, everything is not so simple. In case of unsuccessful circumstances, such removal can be a problem even for a long-time user who knows very well what the right mouse button is and the basket on the desktop. In addition, sometimes blocking an elementary operation can puzzle the experienced computer owner. What's the matter?

In modern operating systems access to files is not only the user himself, but also various programs: system modules, antiviruses, even the file system. In which case a person declares: "I can not delete a folder". When you try to perform this operation, a window with a system message about the blocking of the element currently used by the process or another program appears. Sometimes a banal reboot of the computer is enough to solve this problem. But if after that the thought "I can not delete the folder" does not leave the person, then the reason for locking is more serious.

Well, rolling up his sleeves and overlaid with literature, will have to get down to business. Right-click the properties of the "problem" folder and proceed to the "Security" tab. Here, by opening the "Advanced - Owner", you need to change the access rights, redefining them to yourself and selecting the user name from the list. Sometimes it helps to simply move the folder to another folder where it can be safely removed. In general, problems with the owner are entirely on the conscience of the "file system". Most often they occur when you reinstall the operating system.

But if neither the reboot, nor the prescribing of the owner helped solve the problem, a more universal method is recommended. It consists in using a special program to delete folders. There are several similar software solutions, but we recommend Unlocker. Do not download it from third-party resources, because it is completely free, so without any difficulties, "pulled" from the developer's site. There are three options: for 32, 64 bit systems, as well as a portable version that does not require installation. We recommend that you use this one, the latter, since in this case you can rewrite the program once in a folder, and when you first configure the system, start and allow changes to the registry.

Note that, nevertheless, no such program will give 100% guarantee of successful deletion of a file or folder. However, even 80-90% is enough for most situations. After installing the unlocker in the explorer, an additional entry appears - "Unlocker" with a picture of a magic wand. It is necessary to click on the "problematic" folder the right mouse button and select the corresponding item. Here you should perform the action "Delete". It's that simple. In addition, it is possible to remove the lock, but since we are considering deleting folders, these processes are a completely different topic.