VirtualDub seems to permanently lock final .avi files in Windows XP

[Visor]

Hello,

I have recently upgraded to Windows XP and have found that when I create .avi files using VirtualDub (either in Gordian Knot or standalone), I cannot delete them off my hard drive after I've backed them up to CD. I get the message "Cannot delete file: another user or program is accessing this file." VirtualDub is never open when I try to delete the files and it still doesn't work after a reboot. The only method that works is to open a command window and delete the files the old fashioned way. This phenomenon has only occured in WinXP and I have never seen this problem in my old Win98/ME/2000 setups. I have tried both a WinXP upgrade from Win2000 and a WinXP clean install, but I get the same problem. The settings I've used in VirtualDub (and Gordian Knot) have been identical in all my OSes. I have tried versions 1.4.13 (came with Gordian Knot) and the latest verison 1.5.1, but the problem still persists.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Do you only see it in WinXP?

Thanks a bunch,
Visor

[Suiryc]

This problem ay be related to WinXP.
Try this : select the file you want to delete, wait a few seconds (wait untill the preview image on the left of the explorer window appears) and delete the file.
If you try to delete the file when the preview image hasn't appeared yet then you get your message error because Windows is accessing the file for the preview ;)

[Visor]

Hi Suiryc, thanks for your response.

I run my Windows Explorer in classic mode, so there is no preview image to pull up. I have waited a few seconds after highlighting the file before deleting, but this doesn't solve the problem.

[Manao]

But in fact, even if you are in classic mode in explorer, it tries to get some informations on the media, and so try to read the file. If it can't understand it ( for any reason ), it lets an invisible process running, with the file opened, which disallows you from deleting the file.

Look here (http://tweakxp.com/tweakxp/display.asp?id=1486) and there (http://tweakxp.com/tweakxp/display.asp?id=1467) to disable this annoying feature.

I know it's not exactly your problem, but it may be linked.

[Visor]

Hey Manao,

Thanks for the links... the second one was a big help. Everything's going good so far, even basic navigation in Windows Explorer seems MUCH faster after removing that registry entry. Things will be even more fun when I try out some more of TweakXP.com's recommendations! ;)

I'll keep you informed if I have any more problems. Thanks guys!

Visor