Can't Delete Thumbs.db

logicearth said:

KelJow said:

Network locations are what the entire thread is talking about. We have been referring to that the entire time. I'm not confused, I just didn't think I had to repeat that fact at every point since it's assumed in context.

What? There is not a single reference to "network" in this entire thread until I mentioned it. You could just admit you were mistaken...

Group policy modification isn't necessary, it's better to turn it off in folder options.

There is no option to turn off thumbnail caching in Folder Options, you can only turn off thumbnails which is not wanted.

I confused this thread with the thread on technet linked to above. And I also confused your post with disabling thumbnails, I didn't realize the option to turn off caching only was available in GP.

My contribution - move the folder and attempt to delete from the new location. I moved, and did not copy, a recalcitrant folder contains an undelabel thumb.db from a Windows SBS network location to my local C drive where I could just delete it.
The only "extra" on my machine is the registry hack to add "copy to" and "move to" the explorer right click menu.

I believe neither of the "solutions" listed in this thread truly work (uninstalling Acrobat & deleting via cmd.exe). They only seem to work because you engaged the computer in some other activity, or because you let enough time to pass to allow Windows to "release" the thumbs.db file, thus, it could be deleted. I tried both, and both seemed to work at first, but when I recreated a new thumbs.db file and then immediately deleted it, it didn't delete (giving the same message).

A few observations (on my computer):
1) I get them when I click on a music file that has a picture in the tag.
2) I have my HDD partitioned into several drives, and I only get them on one particular drive. If I copy the entire album file to another drive, I can then click on the same music file withOUT generating a thumbs.db file.
3) On the first drive, if I delete all the other files in the folder, I can then delete the thumbs.db file (after waiting a few seconds). So, that makes me think that it must be the music files that are keeping the thumbs.db file engaged.

I don't have any explanations for this, I'm just saying that that is my experience. Maybe someone else can come up with more.

FIX

Renaming a network folder in Windows 7 Explorer fails with "the action can't be completed..."

Quick fix - Restart explorer.exe and try to delete the folder again.

Step-by-step for n00bs (not that You are one):

1. Summon the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. End explorer.exe (find it in the list, press delete and confirm it).
4. Start it again (File->New task, write explorer.exe and click OK)

I had a fix for this old problem that doesn't involve registry, gpedit, killing explorer, wiping out all thumbnails, waiting for hours, or doing anything else drastic. I'm not sure if it works in every situation but it's worked for me so far.

Just copy any random image file, like a jpeg, to the folder with the stubborn thumbs.db file. Change your view setting to, say, large icons (or something else if you're already using large icons). This forces thumbs.db to update, and simultaneously unlocks it. Now you can just click on it and delete it without an error message (delete the random jpeg too). Once it's gone you should have no trouble deleting the folder(s) that housed it.