Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Troubleshooting
Two tools to remove locked Windows files on restart
by Lee Mathews Nov 12th 2008 at 2:30PM
While it's not something you have to do often, removing files that are locked by Windows can be a pain.
To make things easier on yourself, grab Boot Deleter, a tiny application that you can integrate into Windows'
right-click context menu.
Locate the problem file on your drive, click it, and choose delete on reboot. When your system restarts, Boot Deleter will remove them automatically before Windows starts up. It's a handy utility to clean up files left over from a malware cleanup.
Boot Deleter is freeware for Windows only, and requires the VB runtimes.
To make things easier on yourself, grab Boot Deleter, a tiny application that you can integrate into Windows'
right-click context menu.
Locate the problem file on your drive, click it, and choose delete on reboot. When your system restarts, Boot Deleter will remove them automatically before Windows starts up. It's a handy utility to clean up files left over from a malware cleanup.
Boot Deleter is freeware for Windows only, and requires the VB runtimes.
KillBox can also try to remove the files in Windows by terminating Explorer first, and it can create replacement dummy files to help thwart pesky malware. It's fully portable freeware for Windows only.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian said 3:08PM on 11-12-2008
By locked so you mean unable to delete and it keeps saying it cant locate the file even if you can see it?
For that problem I use Unlocker Assistant.
Reply
Fred Thompson said 5:59PM on 11-12-2008
Unlocker http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ is a little more powerful.
FileASSASSIN http://www.malwarebytes.org/fileassassin.php is also worth a look.
Reply
Mike Cerm said 4:14PM on 11-12-2008
All you need is Unlocker. It can unlock and optionally delete files in one step without rebooting. If there's a file that cannot be unlocked, it can schedule a deletion on the next reboot, but I've never encountered a locked file that it couldn't unlock. Also, it integrates right into the right-click context menu, so it's always handy.
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Reply
NG said 5:36PM on 11-12-2008
second that -- unlocker rocks
James said 6:47PM on 11-12-2008
Thirded. Unlocker does exactly what I need it to do without any interfaces to get in the way.
rothgar said 7:36PM on 11-12-2008
fourthid?
I have used unlocker for years. Works just as I need it to for those stubborn in use files.
edward said 4:19PM on 11-12-2008
Killbox no worky.
Compunent 'MSCOMCTL.OCX' or one of its dependencies not correctly registered: a file is missing or invalid
Reply
royb0t said 5:30PM on 11-12-2008
I have used MoveOnBoot before, but this Unlocker program seems pretty neet if it doesn't require a reboot.
Reply
x said 7:00PM on 11-12-2008
"When your system restarts, Boot Deleter will remove them automatically before Windows starts up."
Sorry to be pedantic, but it's not Boot Deleter that removes the files; it's Windows. All Boot Deleter does is set (or edit) a registry value, which Windows reads and acts on during the normal boot process.
Reply
bsama said 3:05AM on 11-13-2008
Unlocker is the best, always works with me!
Reply
Dodfr said 3:47AM on 11-13-2008
Unlocker rulez !!!!
Reply
Bryan Price said 11:52AM on 11-13-2008
dellater has yet to not work for me. It does require a reboot, and it's a quasi command line program (You use it at the command line, but the confirmation is a windows box, go figure!)
I can't remember if I've tried Unlocker Assistant.
Reply
NosTraDomus said 1:55PM on 12-22-2008
those are good and all, But theres one better,
its free, its called UNLOCKER, its in your contextmenu (your right-click menu) right-click something and choose UNLOCKER from the menu, it pops up WHATs still using THAT appl/program or nasty virus, from there u can choose to KILL that service, or UNLOCK it from that service, then your able to DELETE it , or delete on system reboot. its nice to have,simple,small,hardly any resources used...more options..
Reply