Cannot delete .eml files

TimStitt said:

Yep, this is weird indeed.

I have one more idea, one that I touched on before but now have an idea to check.
Open indexing and ensure that the *.eml file location is not being indexed.
Open your virus software, ensure that the *.eml location is not being scanned.
Reboot.
See if the problem continues, if this fixes it, try to work out which program causes it. Man this is annoying me... lol.

Click to expand...

Okey dokey. Thank you, Tim, your perseverance is commendable.

"Open indexing and ensure that the *.eml file location is not being indexed."
Indexing reports that in Users, only the following are NOT being indexed:
-appfata:appdata
Windows Live Mail was being indexed - no other application.
So I turned OFF indexing for Windows Live Mail and a few other things that did not seem important.
And I did a restart. Result - no change. I still can't delete old ones or new ones.
Then I turned off indexing for the whole world - nothing is indexed. Restart and NADA, NIENTE, Zip, RIEN, c'est la meme chose! No change.
I left indexing off - who needs it!

Then Indexing, Under "Advanced" and file types, I turned OFF indexing for eml - the note there says that "Registered IFilter is not found". I don't know what that means, but almost EVERY other file type, except really long and odd things, has some filter. Interesting. I have no idea what that means.
Result: No change!

You suggested: "Open your virus software, ensure that the *.eml location is not being scanned."
I don't quite know what that means - not scanning the *.eml location.
It's more a definition of what is scanned.
But OK - it WAS set to scan only infectable file types.
I assume that INCLUDES .eml files. Not sure.
So I changed it to "all file types", and EXCLUDED .eml. I'm using AVG by the way.
I switched to it when my free Norton ran out. That switch was AFTER the problem surfaced.
Restart and . . . tada, no change!

See next note - a few other ideas - no solutions.

SUGGESTIONS
I would like to suggest one more option.
In my 'extensive' research into the prior problem - where .eml files had their dates changed all the time, I did note a couple of somewhat related problems affecting only .eml files:

1- Windows Live Mail and .EML date stamp.
Windows Live Mail and .EML date stamp ?? HTML editor went crazy here!
That's a long URL. The problem is under:
Windows Client Tech Center > Windows 7 Forums > Windows 7 Application Compatability > Windows Live Mail and .EML date stamp.
A search on that last string will find it.
Uninstalling Windows Live Mail fixed the date problem. Dated 5/14/2009.
Identical problem posted here
http://www.sevenforums.com/software/10026-windows-live-mail-eml-files-date-stamp.html
String is Windows 7 Forums > Seven Forums > Software > Windows Live Mail and .EML files date stamp.
That one is dated 5/14/2009 - NO replies.
I do NOT want to uninstall WLM, thank you very much.

2- Title is "Bug copying .eml-Files, time stamp changed" This one is dated 12/2/08
Bug copying .eml-Files, time stamp changed Same here

This was in a Vista Forum.
This one has a lot of activity - related to indexing.
Around June 6, 2009 - 6 months later - this entry shows up:
However, while investigating this further, I discovered the following:
---------------------------------
1. The problem with .EML date stamp exists out of the box with a fresh install of Windows 7, without installing any applications, and in particular without installing WLM.
2. The problem continues to exist when WLM was installed.
3. The problem stops when WLM is uninstalled.

Comparisons of the registries for these three situations revealed that in (1) and (2), a .eml entry exists under
\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PropertySystem\PropertyHandlers

This .eml entry is gone once WLM is uninstalled.

After reinstalling WLM, this key entry reappears, and the date stamp problem starts again. However, deleting this key entry and rebooting causes the date stamp problem to stop. Adding back the registry key makes the problem start up again.

The PropertyHandlers key seems to be related to search, but I haven't noticed any problem resulting from its deletion, admittedly with limited experience.

This workaround may have solved the problem in Windows 7 RC, at least so far. Perhaps this also applies to Vista.
--------------------------------------

Note that it is related to Windows 7, albeit in the Vista Forum.
It has to do with changing the date, not protecting the file, but it is interesting that it keys on .eml files.
I went to my local Registry entry. Run regedit -
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PropertySystem\PropertyHandlers
And I do have an .eml entry. REG_SZ [5FA29220-36A1-40f9-89C6-F4B384B7642E]
Of course, I have an entry for virtually everything under the sun.
That proves nothing. What happens if I delete it?

And, totally unrelated, how come some of these are case sensitive and others not?
It must be HEX - there's nothing above FF on there.

My gut says this is the same problem.
I had this problem of dates changing - it went away. Someone zapped the .eml in a Microsoft update.
It was turned into my present problem.
Origin is NOT related to Windows Live Mail. Just Windows 7.
Removing Windows Live Mail seems to fix it.
Or removing the property entry.

Someone a lot wiser than I needs to look at that.

Again, thanks everyone. It took about 6 months for that one to be resolved!
OH, and thanks a million to the Windows 7 people who made "restart" as quick as lightening.
Saves a lot of time doing this stuff.

CarlS said:

You suggested: "Open your virus software, ensure that the *.eml location is not being scanned."
I don't quite know what that means - not scanning the *.eml location.
It's more a definition of what is scanned.
But OK - it WAS set to scan only infectable file types.
I assume that INCLUDES .eml files. Not sure.
So I changed it to "all file types", and EXCLUDED .eml. I'm using AVG by the way.
I switched to it when my free Norton ran out. That switch was AFTER the problem surfaced.
Restart and . . . tada, no change!

See next note - a few other ideas - no solutions.

Click to expand...

I'm out of ideas mate..... best to put your anti virus on to scan *eml's again. If I had thought that through, I just would have suggested temporarily disabling the anti virus and checking.

It's good of you to post the other things you've tried, it could help someone else who reads this.

Just refresh me, did we try to remove Windows Live Mail (WLM) and then remove that registry entry and any Microsoft-crumbs (the left over stuff in your users folder that you DON't NEED) and then reinstall it?

If you do try this or if you try to remove the date-stamp registry entry without removing WLM, just back up that registry entry first by right clicking on it (from inside regedit) and selecting export. If you haven't done this before, it creates a registry file that you can always merge back into the registry later (as long as you don't remove something that windows needs to boot/run of course). Back up your mail first too!

As to your case sensitive question, I really don't know, your suggestion HEX seems plausible.

hmmm it's a mystery.

Merry Christmas

Tim

OK. Problem went away!
I deleted that registry entry for .eml - and I can delete old and new emails, no problem.

If someone is searching for this, here's the technique.
Tim suggested:
"If you do try this or if you try to remove the date-stamp registry entry without removing WLM, just back up that registry entry first by right clicking on it (from inside regedit) and selecting export."

I didn't know you could do that. It makes a small backup that can be merged.
I then made a new restore point, just in case.
I then opened Run / Regedit - navigated to:
[FONT=&quot]\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PropertySystem\PropertyHandlers

I selected the .eml entry and right click / delete. It deleted it.
Did a restart - and the problem is gone. The files still work, still open with WLM, etc.
No other negatives noticed to this point.

Amen - but, what the heck was that? And why doesn't everybody and their brother have the same problem? No one save .eml files?

Let's see if it works for camelgrass as well.
I'll stay tuned to this just to see if anything else develops.
Thanks everyone.

And a joyous holiday, or whatever variety you celebrate!!
[/FONT]

CarlS said:

OK. Problem went away!
I deleted that registry entry for .eml - and I can delete old and new emails, no problem.

If someone is searching for this, here's the technique.
Tim suggested:
"If you do try this or if you try to remove the date-stamp registry entry without removing WLM, just back up that registry entry first by right clicking on it (from inside regedit) and selecting export."

I didn't know you could do that. It makes a small backup that can be merged.
I then made a new restore point, just in case.
I then opened Run / Regedit - navigated to:
[FONT=&quot]\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PropertySystem\PropertyHandlers

[FONT=&quot]I selected the .eml entry and right click / delete. It deleted it.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Did a restart - and the problem is gone. The files still work, still open with WLM, etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]No other negatives noticed to this point.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Amen - but, what the heck was that? And why doesn't everybody and their brother have the same problem? No one save .eml files?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Let's see if it works for camelgrass as well.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I'll stay tuned to this just to see if anything else develops.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Thanks everyone.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]And a joyous holiday, or whatever variety you celebrate!![/FONT]
[/FONT]

Click to expand...

Brilliant! and just in time for Christmas,which is around 40oC (104 oF) where I am now in Australia. Enjoiy yours mate.

unable to delete files of .eml extension also

Hi, I'm a new user of Windows 7 [Apr 2010] but have just started experiencing this problem. I cannot delete files that I've saved in my documents which are .eml extension. If I right click on these files, the choices of "delete", "rename", and "cut" are not available. In the pull-down menus, they are faded off.

The "temp" fix of going into properties and deleting details that is discussed in these posts [on page two] works but is obviously laborious.

Has anyone else encountered this problem since this post? Is the reg edit thing the only answer.

By the way, I don't use WLM [windows live mail] like this user. I use Thunderbird and the files I've saved are Thunderbird .eml files.

Anyway, other behaviors seem to be the same as what this other user described. For example, if I've just copied the .eml file to another folder, I can delete it immediately, but if I close the explorer window and go back and open it, then when I right click, "delete" is no longer an option, and the only thing that works is to delete the file properties. . .

And this issue only arises with .eml files saved in my "libraries". An item copied over to my C: drive main folder still can be deleted.

Solution is up the thread just a bit

Look up the thread a bit.
The solution is a modification of a registry entry.
Bit scary, but the steps are spelled out there.
I still have no clue what caused this - I thought it was Live Mail - but apparently not.

Somewhere, I assume some Microsoft whiz is still puzzling this one out.

If you can't find the solution - reply to this and I'll paste it in here again.

Take care.
Carl

hi
this works for me
right click on the .eml file, select Open file location, the documents open in a new window and delete is an option when I right click on the .eml file

regards

Hallo everybody.

I read this thread since I encountered this problem me too; I use Thunderbird, but I think this problem appeared installing a windows update comprehensive of Windows Live Mail 2011.
I was unable to delete a .eml file, and also to rename it; Your fix works well.

I made some investigations about the incriminated registry key; it refers to inetcomm.dll, and it makes some substitutions for file properties, useful for the search facility of Windows.
I assume it overrides also the file attributes described here, and doesn't allow to delete and rename .eml files.

So You can keep property substitutions, and disable just file system attributes substitutions, by setting to 0 the voice "System.SFGAOFlags" under the OverrideFileSystemProperties key of the relative property handler class ID key; so a .reg file with the following lines will work:
It works well for me; I don't know which enhancements comes from property substitution during searches, but this solution is less intrusive than deleting the key under PropertyHandlers, and should keep most searches functionality through .eml files.


Regards.
Matteo

When I open Documents Library by selecting Documents from the Start menu delete is not an option for .eml files.

When I open My Documents it is...........problem solved!

Hey Guys.... TWINMAN is THE MAN! Have you heard him? After struggling with this problem for long, I tried his simple solution... HOW BUGGY IS THAT?? IT worked GREAT!!!

"When I open Documents Library by selecting Documents from the Start menu delete is not an option for .eml files.

When I open My Documents it is...........problem solved!

"

I use MS Office but I do mantain Windows Live Mail for some applications. So I didnt want to uninstall it. This approach was simple and done deal. THank you so much, TWINMAN!

TomBrazil

Like Cosmodisk, make no sense but it works! Thanks twinman!!!

I am new to all this! I had some old emails saved in C/My Documents which I could not delete after I'd upgraded from XP to Windows 7. It was a minor issue compared to most, but annoying. Most of the posts I read here were complete techno-babble to me, but I gleaned enough from them to just try going to Properties and unchecking the two Attributes files in Advanced and then I was able to delete the emails! I just wanted to thank everyone

I somehow saved a .eml file in my picture library on W7. When I right click there is no choice for delete or to move the file into a folder. Is there another way to do either?

I came across this problem yesterday
I found that if I right click on the the .eml file and select "open file location" the documents open in a new window and when I right click on the same .eml file "delete" is an option....you can delete your file from this

Hello,
I've a similar problem:
I've many emails (.eml files) stored in a folder on my PC and I use a program to synchronize this folder on an external hard disk. But, every time I do the synchronization, these .eml files always seem to be modified, even though they have never been opened or modified by me!
But the files are really different: the modified date of .eml files is constantly and automatically (not by me) changed.
So I've to synchronize these files each time uselessly transferring many GBs and losing a lot of time...
I want to say that I have this problem only with Windows 7 64 bit and .eml files. Instead in Windows XP everything is working correctly.
How can I avoid this annoying problem?
Thank you.

Solution suggested by Twinman works for me...easy & fast, no messing up with the registry...thanks Twinman!

Thanks Twinman for the simple solution! I just noticed the same problem today while trying to clean out my files. It's a funny coincidence too that your solution is also the one I found today for another issue - changing the yellow folder icon to another icon picture. Same problem and same solution - Properties, Open File Location! That's the trick! PS - If any Microsoft people are reading these posts please change the first right-click menu to work so we don't have to go through all these headaches!

Old problem, but I have (had) the same problem. I use company-mandated Lotus Notes, and use a TEMP folder for composing emails, adding picture or PDFs or what not.

If there is a .eml file in the folder, I cannot delete the files. the DEL key is non-functional, and right click doesn't have delete as an option. If there are 10 files and 1 is .EML, I cannot delete them. I can delete the other 9 individually, though.

My solution is to go up one level and delete the entire folder. That works, even if there's a .EML file in it.