How to delete a file that does not let you

Status
Not open for further replies.

TheRevo

Honorable
Dec 1, 2013
3
0
10,510
So i dont know if i posted in the right sub-forum but it is pretty urgent!

I have found a few folders within my program files that are things i never installed/knew about, they are all roughly the same inside the folder and contain files that are all along the lines of "36878e4f-2a69-4da2-bfed-d0d4acbf72eb-1-6". I know full well that they are malicious, my anti-virus has not picked them up but i would really like to rid them from my pc, however, I cant seem to delete them.

When i tried to delete 36878e4f-2a69-4da2-bfed-d0d4acbf72eb-1-6 it said this:

This action can't be completed because the file is open in 36878e4f-2a69-4da2-bfed-d0d4acbf72eb-1-6.exe

usually i know how to solve that problem, you open up Task manager and end the Process or Service that is running the file however, in this instance, i can not locate this application that is running.

I then went on to googling how to delete folder in use, i tried all the results such as deleting files through CMD and by trying to use a program called Unlocker, needless to say, they didn't work so i am still stuck with these dodgy files on my pc.

The real question here is, do any of you glorious fellows know how i can get these bloody files out of my pc? It would be extremely appreciated

Thank you .


 
Solution
Have you tried starting in safe mode and deleting them?
If still not working, try right click, properties, security and change permissions.

TheRevo

Honorable
Dec 1, 2013
3
0
10,510

Yeah, i tried editing the permissions of the folder and the file, but i still does not allow me to delete them as it continues to say it is being run by a program that i can not figure out how to stop
 


What about safe mode
 

JeckeL

Distinguished
Jul 19, 2009
223
1
18,910


Does it show up in task manager such that you can end the task and then delete the .exe? Also might want to check msconfig > startup tab and if it's in there un-check it and restart. (this is done via task manager in windows 8)

Not sure about this specific malware, but i've got rid of a few different ones by renaming parent directories , rebooting, then attempting to delete the .exe. Depending on how it was written, if you rename the folder it's in (a lot of times if you can't delete the .exe you can still rename parent folders) it changes the path to the executable and cannot launch itself. So for example if it's located in:

C:\Program Files\malware_folder_abc123\malware.exe

You can sometimes change the name of "malware_folder_abc123" to some random stream of numbers/letters/whatever, reboot, then delete malware.exe because it can no longer launch itself and thus wont prevent you from deleting it. Like I said though I've only been able to do this with a handful of malware/adware/etc that i've come across
 
Status
Not open for further replies.