I've been downloading an update for Battlefield 1942, and after several aborted attempts, (download to slow), I've got an update icon for this file on my desk top that is only 18.4 kb.

Problem is, I can't delete it and I don't want to see it there for the rest of my compters life. When I try to delete it I get a message,

"Cannot delete Battlefield_1942_v1.6.19: It is being used by another person or program", "Close any programs that are using the file and try again".

I've been having problems with this game, that's in another thread, and have uninstalled the whole game, and cleaned up any and all files relating to it, except this. For the life of me, I can't find out what program is supposedly using this. I've rebooted, still there, looked in Task Manager/Processes, (nothing evident, but I probably wouldn't recognize anything anyway, and looked at MSConfig/Startup and didn't see anything out of order.

Anybody got any ideas? Thanks in advance.

What happens if you right-click on the icon, choose Properties, and see the attributes? Is it read-only maybe??

Another possible fix is to get to the icon file thru Windows Explorer, or whatever file manager you use. Navigate to your Desktop directory, and try to delete it thru that program....

Jaguarist, it say's it's an application. And I've already tried to delete it through Windows Explorer, and get the same "cannot delete" etc. message.

Also run Ad-Aware and SpyBot, nothing shows up there.

Ok, how about just booting into a command prompt, and doing a del from there? If all else fails, that should do it, I would think?

OK, I can boot into command prompt, but I don't know what to do after that, I'm not familiar with it at all. (See my avatar?)

Ok, post back and tell me the EXACT path to the icon file... I don't know how you have your system set up, nor how many OS's you have installed... So, use Windows Explorer and navigate to the icon file.... If you have a fairly generic system setup, it should be something like C:\Documents and Settings\blah blah blah.... OK? I'll then tell you what to write at the command prompt.. You're almost there !!

Oh yeah, include the exact name of the icon file also.

Ok it's C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\battlefield_1942_patch_v1.6.19
The icon file is battlefield_1942_patch_v1.6.19

But, on the desktop icon, if I right click and "open", I get the black dos? box and another box over that that says,
C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\Desktop\BATTLE~1.EXE
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0548 IP:0118OP:2e 63 6f 20 Choose "Close" to terminate the application.

OK. Boot into your command prompt. Then type this exactly





del C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\Desktop\BATTLE*

then press the Enter key. If all goes well, and it should, you will be returned to the command prompt.

Boot back into your Windows, and it will be gone, gone, gone! :grinthumb

Success. Man that did the trick. It's gone.

Man, can't thank you enough, anyway, thanks.

Glad to have helped!! There are times when good 'ole basic DOS commands come in handy...

Now, you could send me some Muscadine jelly, just as a thanks.. LOL Ark is the only place I know of to get any.. I sure do miss that stuff !!

Alright, well, talk with you again, I'm sure.

\Same problem also need help....please

Hello . i have the same problem installed the game Galaxi (guess it is a dos game) and have uninstalled everything. I have an icon i can t gety rid of on my desktop and get the same message as the person above. I followed your instructions and copied the path in the command line .When i copy the path from "properties " on the icon this is what I get C:\Documents and Settings\olivier\Desktop\GALAXI.EXE but when I use "del C:\Documents and Settings\olivier\Desktop\GALAXI* I get an invalid path message. can you help

tia

The proper syntax is:
del "C:\Documents and Settings\olivier\Desktop\GALAXI*"

Note the location of the " AFTER del and at the end

thanks

thank you that worked

hi i have the same problem like those people above can someone help me remove my icon? C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Desktop\RollerCoastertyphoon2-dm Someone plz help me remove this.!

exporer.exe has locked this file...

exporer.exe has locked this file...

you can try this out... just create a new text file on your desktop - but name it text.exe... you won't be able to delete this file.

now do start->run cmd (enter) AND open the task manager; kill exporer.exe (dont close task manager)
use alt + tab to switch between your windows
use rm text.exe to delete this file in cmd window
go back to task manager (applications tab and new task) to start exporer.exe

i hope this helps...

I have a similar problem and I followed your instructions in the command prompt in DOS but it did not delete anything. Instead it says that it cannot be deleted because it is being used by another program. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Download the Pocket killbox programme from HERE. Read the instructions.

That should get rid of them.

Regards Howard

I did as you suggested, and the Killbox came up with message of 'this file does not seem to exist". What am I doing wrong? Perhaps the path and filename ? the offending file is in my C:\Documents and settings\Chris\Desktop

You don`t want to delete your desktop do you?

What is the name of the file you want to delete?

Regards Howard

The file pathnames are:
C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\Desktop\GravitytGemsSetup-dm
C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\Desktop\DinerDashSetup-dm

Thanks