How to Force Windows to Delete a File

**Rutajit** · 18-08-2009

I have downloaded some of the images and videos from the internet after completing my work when i am trying to delete those files from my computer i am error message as another program is using the file or sometime i get message as trying to read the file but since it is corrupted, you cannot delete the file. Is there any way where i can force Window to delete a File and i am using Windows XP as my operating system.

**Aarpitt** · 18-08-2009

In such kind of case i would suggest you to find the process that opens the file and then end that process, now try to delete that file according to me you should be able to delete it then. However, it's not a good idea to do this if it's a system file, but I'm sure you already know that. Hope this should work for you.

**Vibhas** · 18-08-2009

I was also facing such kind of issue where i needed to force my Windows to delete a File by following the below steps i was able to do it, you can also try it out hope it works for you.

Click on the Start button.
Type cmd into the run dialog box and press enter, then Command prompt will get open.
Now find the exact path of the file you want to delete and make note of it. For example yype "del d:\path" into the command-line interface, replacing "d:\path" with the exact file path of the file you want to delete.
Finally press the enter key to confirm the delete command. Windows will now automatically delete the specified file.