Vista - Removing unwanted font file form desktop

I tried to download a new font file from the internet, and somehow managed to
get a copy of the file on my Vista desktop and in Documents. When I try to
delete either file I get the error message "action cannot be completed
because the file is open in another program"
If I try to open the font file I get the error message " the requested file
is not a valid font file"
I can not see what program would be running this file and just want to
delete it from my computer.

Try restarting your computer, and then try to delete the file.

In Control Panel\Fonts has the font been registered? (View Details, and add
"Font file names" to the columns to see if the file is listed, and what the
path might be. For example C:\Windows\Fonts\unwantedbd.ttf. You may not
recognize it by it's official title, under "Name", for example, Terrible
Bold. If you see your unwanted file there, right click and choose Delete.
This will unregister it, even if it's elsewhere on your computer (it doesn't
necessarily have to be "physically" in the Fonts folder.

"parkes5" <parkes5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6AC83606-9524-4D7C-9A0F-95FD5B2528DD@microsoft.com...
>I tried to download a new font file from the internet, and somehow managed
>to
> get a copy of the file on my Vista desktop and in Documents. When I try to
> delete either file I get the error message "action cannot be completed
> because the file is open in another program"
> If I try to open the font file I get the error message " the requested
> file
> is not a valid font file"
> I can not see what program would be running this file and just want to
> delete it from my computer.

dean-dean,
Thanks for getting back to me. I've tried restarting the computer, but get
the same errors when I try to delete. Followed your instructions, but the
file does not appear in in Fonts folder. For whatever reason the file only
appears on the desktop and in documents.

"dean-dean" wrote:

> Try restarting your computer, and then try to delete the file.
>
> In Control Panel\Fonts has the font been registered? (View Details, and add
> "Font file names" to the columns to see if the file is listed, and what the
> path might be. For example C:\Windows\Fonts\unwantedbd.ttf. You may not
> recognize it by it's official title, under "Name", for example, Terrible
> Bold. If you see your unwanted file there, right click and choose Delete.
> This will unregister it, even if it's elsewhere on your computer (it doesn't
> necessarily have to be "physically" in the Fonts folder.
>
> "parkes5" <parkes5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6AC83606-9524-4D7C-9A0F-95FD5B2528DD@microsoft.com...
> >I tried to download a new font file from the internet, and somehow managed
> >to
> > get a copy of the file on my Vista desktop and in Documents. When I try to
> > delete either file I get the error message "action cannot be completed
> > because the file is open in another program"
> > If I try to open the font file I get the error message " the requested
> > file
> > is not a valid font file"
> > I can not see what program would be running this file and just want to
> > delete it from my computer.
>
>

Hi parkes5. Try this. Open Command Prompt (Start
Menu\Programs\Accessories), by right-clicking it, and choosing Run as
Administrator. Exit any other program that may be running, except
Administrator: Command Prompt.

Right-click on you Taskbar, and choose Task Manager. On the Processes tab
of Task Manager, find explorer.exe, right-click it, and choose End Process.
If fontview.exe is running, end that as well (it probably won't be). This
will cause your screen to only show Task Manager and Command Prompt. In
Command Prompt, type:

cd desktop

Press Enter. Then type:

del unwantedfont.ttf

Of course, substitute the real name and extension of the font you want to
remove for "unwantedfont.ttf". Press Enter. Then type:

cd ..

Yes, that's cd then a space then 2 periods. Press Enter. Then type:

cd downloads

Press Enter. Then type:

del unwantedfont.ttf

Hopefully, this will have deleted the two files. To turn your Desktop back
on, type:

explorer.exe

Press Enter.



"parkes5" <parkes5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3F3A1BC7-BAE9-4763-A2B5-BC443DF422A8@microsoft.com...
> dean-dean,
> Thanks for getting back to me. I've tried restarting the computer, but get
> the same errors when I try to delete. Followed your instructions, but the
> file does not appear in in Fonts folder. For whatever reason the file
> only
> appears on the desktop and in documents.
>
> "dean-dean" wrote:
>
>> Try restarting your computer, and then try to delete the file.
>>
>> In Control Panel\Fonts has the font been registered? (View Details, and
>> add
>> "Font file names" to the columns to see if the file is listed, and what
>> the
>> path might be. For example C:\Windows\Fonts\unwantedbd.ttf. You may not
>> recognize it by it's official title, under "Name", for example, Terrible
>> Bold. If you see your unwanted file there, right click and choose
>> Delete.
>> This will unregister it, even if it's elsewhere on your computer (it
>> doesn't
>> necessarily have to be "physically" in the Fonts folder.
>>
>> "parkes5" <parkes5@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:6AC83606-9524-4D7C-9A0F-95FD5B2528DD@microsoft.com...
>> >I tried to download a new font file from the internet, and somehow
>> >managed
>> >to
>> > get a copy of the file on my Vista desktop and in Documents. When I try
>> > to
>> > delete either file I get the error message "action cannot be completed
>> > because the file is open in another program"
>> > If I try to open the font file I get the error message " the requested
>> > file
>> > is not a valid font file"
>> > I can not see what program would be running this file and just want to
>> > delete it from my computer.
>>
>>