Few random files not getting Cut, copy, rename and delete performed all the possible options.

Question

Few random files not getting Cut, copy, rename and delete performed all the possible options. But while trying to access that file getting system hang. Only option left to shutdown server 2016

Answer 1

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum! 

Based on your description, the issue is usually caused by one of the following:

• File System Corruption

Disk errors or bad clusters can prevent file operations and cause system hangs.

• Permissions Issues

Incorrect NTFS permissions or ownership can block file actions.

• Locked Files

Files may be locked by running processes or services, preventing modification or deletion.

• Disk Type and File System

NTFS volumes can be resized and managed, but bad clusters or immovable files can block operations. ReFS volumes can only be extended, and FAT/FAT32/exFAT cannot be resized. Bad clusters prevent shrinking and may cause file access issues.

• Resource Utilization

High CPU, memory, or disk usage can cause session hangs or freezes. If the issue is disk-related, check Task Manager for performance spikes

I would like to share the following recommended solutions that may help resolve the issue. 

1. Check Disk Health

• Run chkdsk on the affected drive to identify and fix file system errors or bad clusters.
• Bad clusters can prevent file operations and cause hangs.

2. Check Permissions

• Review NTFS permissions and ownership for the affected files and folders.
• Ensure you have full control or appropriate rights.

3. Check for Locked Files

• Use tools like Process Explorer to identify processes locking the files.
• Terminate or restart the relevant processes if safe.

4. Resource Monitoring

• Open Task Manager and check for high CPU, memory, or disk utilization.
• If resource usage is normal but hangs persist, consider disk/network issues.

5. File System Type

• NTFS volumes can be managed and resized; ReFS volumes can only be extended.
• FAT/FAT32/exFAT have limitations and cannot be resized.

I hope this information is helpful and thank you for choosing Microsoft Q&A to raise your concern. 

Answer 2

On Windows Server, files that can’t be cut, copied, renamed, or deleted and that hang the system are typically either:

1. In use (locked) by a process
2. On a corrupted NTFS file system

Use these steps in order:

1. Check if the file is in use
   • This behavior matches the case where a file is opened by some process with an exclusive handle.
   • Use a handle-inspection tool (for example, a process/handle viewer) to identify which process has the file open.
   • Once the process is identified, stop or restart that process/service, then try the operation again.
   • If the file is pending deletion, it may not disappear until the locking process releases it.
2. Check for NTFS file system corruption
   • Corruption on the volume can prevent access, deletion, or modification and can cause Explorer or the system to hang when touching those files.
   • Run a file system check on the affected volume:
     • Schedule chkdsk on the volume where the problematic files reside.
     • Allow the server to reboot if required so chkdsk can run and repair errors.
   • After chkdsk completes, try the cut/copy/rename/delete operations again.
3. General guidance
   • Avoid repeatedly forcing power-offs; always try to identify the locking process first.
   • If the issue is limited to a specific folder or set of files and persists after chkdsk, consider moving data off that volume and further investigating hardware (disk) health.

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References:

• You can't delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume