Cannot delete file, open in EFS

12/10/12

Trying to delete a file I believe was migrated over from old Gateway system from 2008 running XP Pro sp3. System says file is open in EFS, but the file is NOT encrypted. Attached is a .zip of the file that I renamed and the original from an old backup showing full name. The file I am trying to delete is in c:\windows\winsxs\temp\pendingdeletes. It shows as a hardlink to two others, both relating to Keberos. Don't want to mess with that file! Attributes in .zip also show the file is from a FAT OS, that's why I think it's from the old Gateway. Just want to delete this hardlink (file named goaway.0000) without messing up Keberos. I've tried killing EFS, no luck, says open in Certificates. Does anyone know a safe "Gorilla" hammer and/or crowbar? Much thanks....

Try Unlocker - see the bottom part of this post...
Two TEMP Folders
...for warnings about Unlocker.

UsernameIssues said:

Try Unlocker - see the bottom part of this post...
Two TEMP Folders
...for warnings about Unlocker.

installed Unlocker, right-clicked goofy file, said "no lock handles", let it "delete" on next boot. Had to re-boot twice, but it worked and no harm to other hardlinks it was associated with (the "Kerbosos" stuff is AMD64 and syswow64). All were reduced by 1 in the hardlink reference count. Thanks again! f14tomcat.

good to hear