How to delete a pesky file that refuses to be deleted? SOLVED

[Growltiger]

Just out of curiosity, what explains why only the second reboot worked, not the first reboot?

There are reboots and reboots. I don't pretend to understand all the complexities, particularly regarding all the types of sleep, but I have three rules I follow:

1. If an internal device stops working properly (link to monitor, Bluetooth, network link etc.) then it is not good enough to Restart because you may need to actually power off everything, so do a Shutdown not a Restart.

2. If there is some weird inexplicable thing happening then even a Shutdown is not good enough. You need to hold down Shift when clicking Shutdown. That is a real serious shutdown. (I'm not making this up.)

3. If all else fails and the problem can't be solved and you are exhausted - and this rule applies not just to computers, but also TVs, hifi systems etc. - then turn it off, lift it a few inches in the air and drop it onto a hard surface. It it starts working - good. If not, it is now properly broken and you can recycle it without feeling guilty. (Book reference "The Soul of a New Machine" - a great read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Soul_of_a_New_Machine)

Next time simply install LockHunter, you will find what was locking it and delete it in a moment.

 

[Mike Buckley]

it is not good enough to Restart because you may need to actually power off everything, so do a Shutdown not a Restart.

I always shutdown rather than restart.

If there is some weird inexplicable thing happening then even a Shutdown is not good enough. You need to hold down Shift when clicking Shutdown.

Never heard of that. Is there any reason not to do it every time?

turn it off, lift it a few inches in the air and drop it onto a hard surface. It it starts working - good. If not, it is now properly broken and you can recycle it without feeling guilty.

Way too funny...and true!

Next time simply install LockHunter

Hopefully I remember that next time. Better yet, hopefully there will never be a next time. (Yes, even I can be unrealistically optimistic.)

 

[Growltiger]

Never heard of that. Is there any reason not to do it every time?

You can do it every time, but you may find your system is a bit slower to start up when you turn it on, as it has to do a full startup without trying to take any shortcuts (for example any attempt to hibernate is prevented.)