Member Avatar for jkirshy

Hi,

I have an MOV file on my USB key that won't delete. Every time I try to delete is says its being used by another program, but nothing is running the video. Any suggestions?

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This thread shows a common Windows symptom: the OS reports a removable-file as "in use" even when no obvious program is playing it. Members such as and noted the problem; the notes below explain typical causes and safe diagnostic steps that avoid guessing or destructive changes.

Why this happens: the error means a process still has an open handle to the file. Frequent culprits include Explorer thumbnail handlers, real‑time antivirus scanners, indexing/search services, media players, background sync tools or third‑party shell extensions. Corrupt or dirty filesystem metadata on the USB volume can also make a file appear locked even though no user app is actively using it.

How to diagnose and fix without destroying data: identify the process that holds the handle and act from there. Use Process Explorer’s “Find Handle or DLL” to search the filename and see which process holds it (Process Explorer). The Sysinternals command‑line utility Handle can also list handles (Handle). Once identified, stop the offending app or, when safe, close just that handle from Process Explorer — but avoid force‑closing handles owned by critical system services, which can crash the OS or corrupt data.

Other safe measures: temporarily pause or exclude the USB volume from antivirus/indexing if those services are locking files; check and reset file permissions/ownership if ACLs prevent deletion; run chkdsk on the USB volume if filesystem errors are suspected (chkdsk). As a non‑destructive last resort, mounting the drive under another OS to remove the file avoids Windows handle conflicts. Back up important data before forcing handle closures or making low‑level changes.

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Member Avatar for cohen

Have you tried Shift + Delete???

Do you need that MOV file???

Otherwise, copy everything off your USB and reformat it.... start fresh.

Member Avatar for jkirshy

I had tried reformatting but had the same result. Someone at work suggested I leave the key plugged into the computer and reboot, then delete it right away. This worked like a charm. Thanks for the support.

Member Avatar for cohen

No Problems, at least it is solved.

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