Why can't I delete some files from download folder?

[AC Question]

cannot delete some files from download folder?

Open download folder. Press and hold item and trash can appears in top bar. Item is deleted. However, this procedure will not work on some files. How do I delete them?

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: cannot delete some files from download folder?

Welcome to Android Central! What device do you have? Are you using the Download "app," or a file manager? Use a file manager app like ES File Explorer to navigate to the Downloads folder, then try to delete the files from there.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: cannot delete some files from download folder?

If the file is in use, it can't be deleted. It's not likely, but it's possible, that you're running or reading something that's in the download folder.

 

[Eduardo Bracho]

Re: cannot delete some files from download folder?

Hi, I'm new to this forum but not to Android. I own a Nexus 7 running Android 4.4.4. I downloaded a file and even though I deleted it, I cannot delete the folder it was in. I tried Android Assistant (result: Warning. File cannot read). I tried ES Explorer, it appears to delete it but when I reopen the download directory the folder is still there. Same result with the File Manager app. I even tried connecting my tablet to my PC and deleting the file with the windows explorer and the result was similar to that of the ES Explorer.

Trying to get to the bottom of this, I searched the "Properties" or "Details" of this folder and found the following:

Size: 0.00 KB (0 Bytes)
Permissions: ---
Modified: Dec 31,1969 20:00
MD5: Operation failed

I don't know what MD5 is but I find the folder date very suspicious since it was created last week when I downloaded the file.

Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

 

[ShifnaTs]

Re: cannot delete some files from download folder?

the permission seems to be none , edit permission , then you can delete the file

 

[Rukbat]

Re: cannot delete some files from download folder?

Give it 777 permissions - rwxrwxrwx. That should allow you to delete it. Make sure that in Properties in ES F E, the Type is Folder, not File. Folders don't get the checksum button (which is where you're seeing the MD5). Since a "folder" isn't an object, it's just an entry in a table, it has no checksum, so it shouldn't be showing an MD5. I'd be very suspicious also. (Since I'm backed up six ways from Sunday, if I couldn't delete it, I'd probably reflash the stock ROM, then put back everything but that folder.)