Cannot delete file: Cannot read from source file or disk

The file is probably in use

Boot to safe mode and delete it from there.

To go into safe mode press F8 before your windows starts.

After checking the above, if the file was created by Windows Updates (or you think it might have been), start as administrator, set the security on the tmp file or folder or parent folder to Everybody and then see if you can delete.

... Thinkpads_User

Thanks
This seems to apply to very many files located in many places not just one file. Would that make a difference?

One of the Windows Updates left a temporary folder in the root of C: . The way I descirbed was the way to delete the folder. So it was not all over the place - just in one folder. I did not mean to imply many places.

... Thinkpads_User

I have two disc C: and D:
I cant seem to delete many .tmp files from either
I can delete some files after a restart and then it fails.

>>> when dealling with infected files that are locked by a virus.

Given the other things that have been tried, this seems a very likely cause.  .... Thinkpads_User

I will carry out a scan later, I do scan quite regularly with NAV
The changing of C; to everyone seems to have partially done the trick although I have some files  named eg ~DFE9D05 which will not delete.

Also some files with no tilde will not delete but the message box places a tilde in front of the file name eg " cannot delete ~ DFC123.

Just one more thing if I may ask

I can see folders that are named with a .tmp extension is it  OK to delete these please?

Many thanks for all the great help

You are most welcome. I was pleased to assist. ... Thinkpads_User