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this is annoying
the files or folders in question are not open in another program, windows is just refusing to let them be moved or deleted due a recent action ie: photographs moved elsewhere etc
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
This may also be helpful:
Open Windows explorer.
Click ‘Organize -> Folder and search options’ (or ‘View -> Folder options’).
Select the ‘View’-tab.
In the ‘Advanced settings’ window, disable ‘Launch folder windows in a separate process’.
You may need to force restart all explorer instances (via task manager) or reboot your computer if the setting is not applied immediately.
After spending 3hrs on trying the various, and to me, far too technical and complicated processes listed above, I came across Taylor42's solution and it worked!! Many thanks.
I actually had to disable the "show preview handlers in a preview pane" in the Windows Explorer, options, view Tab. I was then able to easily delete all my sticky files not deleting because I do have my preview pane setting to on.
Finally, after several months suffering this and trying every workaround, I found something that has really stopped the annoying message and that should help everyone that is seeing this error when they shouldn't, specially those who need/want to see the Preview Pane and thumbnails instead of the icons:
1 Run gpedit (type run on Windows start menu, click on app result, type gpedit)
2 On the left pane go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer
3 Click on File Explorer and on the right pane, right click on "turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files" > Edit > Enabled > Ok
4 Reboot.
Voila! I can rename, move and delete any file or folder as much as I want, as fast as I need...
For those who wan't to replicate it or don't mind disabling the following features so that you don't need to recur to any workaround:
the problem just happens when you have the Preview pane opened and display a file like an image or a pdf on it, and also when under Folder Options / View / Advanced Settings this options are selected: "Always show icons, never thumbnails" and "Display file icon on thumbnails".
(Most of us have relied on the preview and thumbnails for several years, but if you don't mind this will help you.)
Having these settings as mentioned, trying to move or rename a folder, specially a parent folder of a file that has been displayed on the preview pane, will be impossible; normally after 3 or more renames or moves. The more you do the more likely it will happen.
I just spent an entire day with a Microsoft technician at the phone and controlling the pc remotely doing all sort of tests. At the end he could just reccomend to not to install windows 8.1 and make a clean installation. I have done it. Just windows 8. The problem is the same as with windows 8.1 and happens before installing anything else...
sigh, sigh, sigh... Hope at least my pain helps someone, even Microsoft...
