unable to move unfinished internet explorer download to trash

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I'm trying to help a friend out with her old ibook (running under os 10.2) and before upgrading the OS I'm trying to trash an incomplete internet explorer file on the desktop. I got the message error that the item is in use & to try again when the other task is complete. After doing some googling, suggestions seemed to include opening download manager in IE and deleting the file from there, but the file is not in the download managers' list. I have repaired permissions, tried to unlock file,tried using a script to trash this file & all to no avail. I also tried to use an RM command in Terminal, but I'm a newbie to these sort of commands....so I probably didn't do it right...

Any suggestions PLEASE
 
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i know this is a very simple idea but, did you restart the computer? that always fixes the whole "this file is in use by nothing" errors
 
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I think from what you say that you probably know this, but a second simple idea is to make sure that you've quit IE before trying to delete the file.

You can also safely delete IE completely, but use a third-party application like AppCleaner of CleanApp.

When you restore the iBook with an updated OS, do a Clean Install (if feasible) That'll get rid of the IE stuff for good.
 
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Firstly yes I definitely tried rebooting (which "always" fixes the whole "this file is in use by nothing" errors). secondly IE was quit before trying to delete this file (which is an unfinished download of a .pdf btw). Appcleaner will not run on OS 10.2 & appdelete which is supposed to run on 10.2 wouldn't either. I'm hoping not to have to do a clean install as the computer is not mine (though I will do backups of everything anyway).

Thanks 4 the suggestions though ( : Any others?
 
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in terminal do an ls -l /path/to/file
and post the results, I'm interested in the permissions...

also do a lsof /path/to/file
that will show if files are in use
 
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I,m a real newbie to command line. How do i do this exactly? i tried copying directly into terminal result: command not found If you could explain this more clearly i,ll try & post the results afterwards
 
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IE was quit before trying to delete this file (which is an unfinished download of a .pdf btw).

A thought from left field. Is Acrobat Reader trying do automatic updates to itself? This might explain why the download is using AR and therefore not allowing the part-file to be deleted. Perhaps try transferring ALL Acrobat material to a flash drive or similar and then remove it altogether from the iBook hard drive.
 
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the /path/to/file part is simply that. If you're trying to list a file name foo in the directory you're in it would be
ls -l foo

if it was in your Downloads directory and you were in your home directory it would be
ls -l Downloads/foo

same with lsof
 
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the /path/to/file part is simply that. If you're trying to list a file name foo in the directory you're in it would be
ls -l foo

if it was in your Downloads directory and you were in your home directory it would be
ls -l Downloads/foo

same with lsof

The file name is "forever young" & is on the desktop. I tried " ls -l Desktop/forever young" + "ls -l Desktop/forever young.pdf" result:command not found what am i doing wrong?

PS Thanx in advance Mike! er Dysfunction ( :
 
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Ok, I would understand a 'file not found' as the space could be causing that. I know it sounds weird, but try this.

ls -l Desktop/forever\ young
and
ls -l Desktop/forever\ young.pdf
:)

if that gives you command not found (for ls) there are other issues.
 
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I tried both ls -l Desktop/forever\ young
and
ls -l Desktop/forever\ young.pdf
and both gave me the command not found message : (
 
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I'm not sure, but weren't the BSD shell tools an optional install under 10.2?

That could be why the Terminal commands aren't working...

Just try entering "ls" and see what happens? (that's an "L" btw, not capital "i")
 

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