Windows 10: Windows (not just File Explorer) hangs up deleting or moving files

I've run searches but can't find my specific problem, and it's driving me nuts.

I'm having trouble moving and deleting files in Windows -- not just File Explorer, but in FreeCommander, as well.

There are times when Windows cooperates fully, but sometimes it stalls when moving (click-and-drag OR cut-and-paste) or deleting files. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's a single file or multiples, and when it's hanging up it does the same thing in FreeCommander as in File Explorer, which tells me that the problem isn't in either of these programs. I get the little popup that indicates movement or deletion, but the graph is blank and Windows reports that it is "calculating." This has gone for up to three minutes (I actually timed it) before I shut down the program in question in Task Manager.

I can't predict when it's going to start doing this, when it will stop, or what's holding it up when it's happening. Even a hard boot won't change it.

Any help would be appreciated.

:)

 

unable to delete files and folder on hardrive

unable to delete my files and folder on any hard drives and while deleting, window file explorer hangs.

**Post moved by the moderator to the appropriate forum category.**

 

File Explorer - Deleting & Moving files - Windows 10

When I try to delete or move files in File Explorer - I get the message invalid MS-Dos Function.

To delete, I have the file/s highlighted and press the delete button

To move, I have the file/s highlighted and drag the files into the new folder etc.

 

That sounds like a slow HDD but try with Avast disabled, it may be hecking every file transfer and slowing everything down.

 

I've gone over this every which way, trying every possible trick I can find on the web, but nothing makes the least bit of difference. As noted, it's intermittent, and using a different file management program doesn't help. Disabling Avast didn't help, and neither did uninstalling it. I ran a thorough scan with Avast and Malwarebytes, but neither turned up any problems. The drive in question doesn't even matter; it happens with my main data/D drive, and also on an extra/E drive I use in a hot-swap dock when needed.

Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

One or both of your data drives may be in the process of slowing down, or failing.
Run Check Disk on the drives. Press the Win key+X choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) here type the drive letter of the drive (ie) D: and press enter (ie) D:\> at this prompt type chkdsk /R and press enter. Type a Y for Yes to unmount the drive. Check Disk will go thru 5 stages and take a long time. The longer it takes, the more bad sectors the drive has. If it gets stuck for hours, or fails, the drive needs to be replaced.