Delete multi-media file that is open in another program

 

Trying to delete a multi-media file, if it is blocked because that file is open in another program, this problem may be related to thumbnail preview. In that case, follow below steps. 

1. Open ‘Command Prompt’ window and change directory to the location where a multi-media file resides.

 

2. Execute the following commands to delete ‘Thumbs.db’ file.

  attrib -r -s -h +a Thumbs.db

delete Thumbs.db

 

3. Then try to delete that file again using the following command. (Let the filename aaa.mp4.)

  del aaa.mp4

 

Due to a kind of corruption in ‘Thumbs.db’ file, thumbnail-preview process keeps holding that file. Thus ‘Thumbs.db’ file should be refreshed and regenerated. After deleting ‘Thumbs.db’, the target file can be deleted. Afterwards, a fresh ‘Thumbs.db’ file will be generated without the deleted file.

During above steps, don’t open ‘Windows Explorer’ at the location of the target file. Before you delete the target file, thumbnail-preview process may be activated and may block deleting.