My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).

It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe

When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
Error Deleting File or folder
Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
program.
Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.

I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using this
file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.

How can I force this file to delete?

Thanks for your help,
Al Camp

Try the following utility:

Unlocker v1.7.5
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/#download

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Al Camp" wrote:

| My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
|
| It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
|
| When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
| Error Deleting File or folder
| Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
| program.
| Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
|
| I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using this
| file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
| application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
|
| How can I force this file to delete?
|
| Thanks for your help,
| Al Camp

I assume you've CTRL+ALT+DEL and closed the process from task manager before
trying to delete it?


"Al Camp" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
news:AsmdnWuB49duIyTenZ2dnUVZ_tSdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>
> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>
> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
> Error Deleting File or folder
> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
> program.
> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>
> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using this
> file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
> application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>
> How can I force this file to delete?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Al Camp
>
>
>
>

Al Camp wrote:

> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>
> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>
> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
> Error Deleting File or folder
> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
> program.
> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>
> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using
> this
> file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
> application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>
> How can I force this file to delete?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Al Camp

Boot the computer into Safe Mode and you should be able to delete it
there. Do this by repeatedly tapping the F8 key as the computer is
starting up. This will get you to the right menu. Navigate using your
Up arrow key; the mouse will not work here.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Al Camp wrote:

> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>
> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>
> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
> Error Deleting File or folder
> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
> program.
> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>
> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using this
> file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
> application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>
> How can I force this file to delete?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Al Camp

Boot into safe mode and try to delete. Restart the computer, as the
BIOS screen disappears repeatedly tap the F8 key until the Advanced
Options menu appears. Choose safe mode.


--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User

Al Camp wrote:

> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>
> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>
> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
> Error Deleting File or folder
> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
> program.
> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>
> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using this
> file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
> application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>
> How can I force this file to delete?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Al Camp
>
>
>
>

Do it in Safe Mode.

--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

Yes. I could find no process that I could identify as associated with
tosinst.exe. Since, for some reason, tosinst.exe is only 1kb in size, I'm
thinking that it is more a case of corruption, than "file in use".
As it turns out, I was able to move the file to C:\, and delete it via
DOS.
Thanks for the reply,
Al Camp

"Andre" <~remove~azavaglia@gfrpharma.com> wrote in message
news:eKt8Gp$DGHA.3904@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I assume you've CTRL+ALT+DEL and closed the process from task manager
>before
> trying to delete it?
>
>
> "Al Camp" <anon@anon.net> wrote in message
> news:AsmdnWuB49duIyTenZ2dnUVZ_tSdnZ2d@comcast.com. ..
>> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>>
>> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>>
>> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
>> Error Deleting File or folder
>> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
>> program.
>> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>>
>> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using
>> this
>> file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
>> application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>>
>> How can I force this file to delete?
>>
>> Thanks for your help,
>> Al Camp
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Thanks Carey,
I was finally able to delete it via DOS, but I'll check out your link.
Al Camp

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:epqYCn$DGHA.1508@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Try the following utility:
>
> Unlocker v1.7.5
> http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/#download
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows - Shell/User
> Microsoft Community Newsgroups
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Al Camp" wrote:
>
> | My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
> |
> | It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
> |
> | When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
> | Error Deleting File or folder
> | Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
> | program.
> | Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
> |
> | I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using
> this
> | file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter", an
> | application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
> |
> | How can I force this file to delete?
> |
> | Thanks for your help,
> | Al Camp
>

"Alias" <aka@[notme]maskedandanonymous.org> wrote in message
news:OwtyqEAEGHA.2036@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Al Camp wrote:
>
>> My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>>
>> It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>>
>> When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
>> Error Deleting File or folder
>> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
>> program.
>> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>>
>> I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using
>> this file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter",
>> an application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>>
>> How can I force this file to delete?
>>
>> Thanks for your help,
>> Al Camp
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> Do it in Safe Mode.
>
> --
> Alias
>
> Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
> Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.

Thanks Malke, Rock, and Alias.
I was able to delete the file via DOS, but your way sounds like the best way
to go.
Thanks for the help,
Al Camp

Al Camp wrote:

> "Alias" <aka@[notme]maskedandanonymous.org> wrote in message
> news:OwtyqEAEGHA.2036@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>
>>Al Camp wrote:
>>
>>
>>>My grandson downloaded an old DOS freeware game (Titans of Steel).
>>>
>>>It consists of only one file... TosInst.exe
>>>
>>>When I try to delete the file, I get a message...
>>> Error Deleting File or folder
>>> Cannot Delete TosInst.exe It is being used by another person or
>>>program.
>>> Close any programs that might be using the file and try again.
>>>
>>>I cannot locate any program or user (I'm the only user) that is using
>>>this file. Nothing in Task Manager, and nothing indicated in "Starter",
>>>an application I have that displays all apps initiated at Startup.
>>>
>>>How can I force this file to delete?
>>>
>>>Thanks for your help,
>>>Al Camp
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Do it in Safe Mode.
>>
>>--
>>Alias
>>
>>Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
>>Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.
>
>
> Thanks Malke, Rock, and Alias.
> I was able to delete the file via DOS, but your way sounds like the best way
> to go.
> Thanks for the help,
> Al Camp

There is no one single way that works in all situations. Glad you got
it fixed.


--
Rock
MS MVP Windows - Shell/User