Avast message "cannot access the file another process is using the file"

Viruses and worms
1

There have been several recent incidents of users receiving warning virus alerts from Avast but then when “Delete/Move to Chest/Repair” options are selected they receive a message similar to the above.

The reason why Avast cannot delete the file is because it is linked to Explorer, which means that you cannot remove the file while still running MS Explorer.

The answer to this problem is to open a Dos window (using the command prompt option in Accessories) and, using dos commands, navigate your way down to the directory that contains the file. Avast will give you the exact location in the error message banner.

When you find the offending file in the directory, often within IE temp folders, choose Windows Task manager and highlight Explorer.exe. Then choose “End Process” and Windows Explorer will close.

Go back to your Dos window and type del and then the filename or just del . which should remove the offending file. Check by then typing dir and see if the file has been removed.

Then ctrl alt del and choose Shutdown or Restart in Windows Task manager.

2

What do I type in the command prompt. I can’t get past this part. Please Help

3

The easiest way by far, if you have XP is to schedule a boot-time scan from within avast. This runs the scan before windows starts and before the infected file can start.

Or reboot into safe mode and run avast scan (or delete the file) from safe mode for win98 of ME

4

Not all the times I suppose…
Access denied means, generally, that the file is in use by another process (program) and cannot be repaired/cleaned/moved/handled by avast!
This process (program) could be Windows Explorer but it could be not.
The David’s solution seems the best: boot time scanning on Windows XP\2k.