Safe mode was needed to delete files

Question

One of the suggestions for deleting files that are difficult or hard to delete is to boot into safe mode and delete them there.

I had some video files that were difficult to delete. The windows deletion dialogue would be stuck at "discovering". So I booted into safe mode and was able to delete them. However, I do not know the cause for deleting difficulties during normal operation. What is the culprit if I was able to delete them in safe mode?

Thanks!

Answer 1

There are many possibilities. Lacking more info, we can only speculate.

• Safe Mode allows a limited set of programs and servers to start. It also loads only a basic set of drivers.

• One of the reasons you might have trouble deleting a file is because some other program has the file open.

Putting these two facts together, it is likely that you had a program that had your files open, and when you booted into Safe Mode, that program didn't start, so the files weren't open, and thus could be deleted.