How to? Make file accessible

[Steve Fabian]

In my C:\TMP directory (which %TMP references) there is a copy of a desktop shortcut file (.LNK) to access control panel's "date and time" feature. This file is marked read-only, and the contents are inaccessible, both from TCC and from Windows Explorer. Changing to read-write does not work, neither from Windows Explorer nor from TCC. The condition has survived several system power off / restart cycles. How can I delete it? BTW, its presence prevents deleting the directory, too.

 

[vefatica]

Did you try from an elevated session? I have often had to adjust permissions, or simply take ownership.

 

[Charles Dye]

You might also try DEL /B, in case it's in use by some other program (why?)

 

[Steve Fabian]

This is XP, and I am an administrator, so elevation is inapplicable, and I already have all the rights necessary to delete anyone's files. DEL/B did not help; the only way another process could hog the file if it is done through the registry. The only user-started programs running are Outlook Express, Firefox, and the single instance of TCC where I tried DEL /B. Used TCC's REBOOT/R command; file is still there...

 

[samintz]

Steve, download a copy of PsExec from SysInternals. That will allow you to run an application as the System user. System usually can delete stuff that other users cannot.

I've used psexec to run regedit as the system user. That allows access to the Security and SAM keys which are otherwise inaccessible.

psexec -s -i tcc.exe

 

[vefatica]

Have you tried using ProcessExplorer to determine if another process has the file open? Who owns the file? Do you get an error message when trying to delete it ... which one?

 

[samintz]

Another option is to boot another copy of WinXP and use it to delete the file. Check out the DaRT application from Microsoft. (Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset).
http://www.pcandtablet.com/windows-...olset-dart-bootable-cd-and-how-to-use-it.html

 

[Charles Dye]

Another option is to boot another copy of WinXP and use it to delete the file. Check out the DaRT application from Microsoft. (Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset).

For that matter, TCC and TCC/LE work reasonably well under Windows PE and BartPE. (Some features don't work, most notably the help system, which requires Internet Explorer. But all of the file-management stuff works fine in PE.)