Windows 7: Problems deleting, moving, renaming files. VERY irritatin for a new OS

I googled this problem and found this forum but the thread is older and does not address the problem.

I'm on a network where I keep my files but I'm very aware of whether or not these might be open elsewhere. From time to time at any old time of the day (randomly it seems in other words) I'll go in and try to arrange, rename, or get rid of files and I'll get "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Windows Explorer. Close file and try again". Except that the file ISN'T open anywhere.

I had this frustrating experience again just a moment ago so I went online to find this forum. I didn't recall how the above message was quite worded so I went back to the same file and this time it allowed me to delete it. Miffed, I tried another and it worked again. I tried yet another and this time I got the message. This particular file I'm trying to delete hasn't been open for 6 months. Any ideas?

Are you using any media managing applications?
Have you tried setting the view to details instead of thumbnail?

Both of these could result in the system claiming the files are in use.
There is also an application I have personally found useful in detailing why files are 'locked'
Download Unlocker 1.9.1 - FileHippo.com

Try Unlocker 1.9.1 and this will add a right click menu on your system.

On any problem file, rightclick and select Unlocker. It will give you what processes/programs are currently acessing that file. This program also gives you option to kill those processes and free the file so that you can delete it without any problem.

Sometimes the system takes ownership of the file and even if you have full permissions, the system will not allow you to delete the file. In this case you need to wrench away the ownership of the file, make sure you have full permissions and then you can delete it.

Seemed like a neat program / utility. After I downloaded it, not as single thing would go wrong that I could use it on though ..... Like my computer KNEW ......

I did try the right click on a file though and tried to use the Unlocker but I got a tiny error box saying
Unlocker 1.9.1

Drive access denied


So I don't know how useful it will be.

Unlocker will help you only when you have permissions to access the files and locked by other system processes.

If you do not have sufficient rights to access a file or a folder, then unlocker can not help you.

You need to modify the permissions of the target files/folders like I explained above. If you are only the person who is using the computer and this is not part of a office network/domain, then you as an administrator can modify the permissions.

If the system is part of a office network/domain and your administrator has locked you out of certain folders as a company policy, then you can not access these folders. Here the Unlocker program can not help you.

If you think that you have a right to access these files/folders, contact your network administrator and he will help you in getting access to these folders/files.