Empty Folder Action error

[tbang3000]

Hi, all of a sudden I am getting error message in PAD Can't delete folder C:\XXXX\XXXXXXX.

First iteration with this line runs fine, second time doesnt.  Trying once again with a restart has the same problem.  If i close down PAD it will suddenly re-work ONCE.

Access to the path 'C:\XXXXX\XXXXXXX\Image1.jpg' is denied. is the messgae I get against Empty Folder.

Other method "delete files" doesnt work either.  Any thoughts?  Please advise what further details i need to share.  thanks!

[Kaif_Siddique]

May be that specific file would require permission to delete it. can you delete the file manually ?

[tbang3000]

Hi, yes i was able to delete all thefiles manually.

[tbang3000]

Actually!!! i now get an error trying to delete saying "the action can't be completed because the file is open in COM Surrogate".  I mustve got lucky last time i deleted.

Any thoughts?

[momlo]

Hi @tbang3000 

Did you google "COM Surrogate"?

If no, try now and if this is corporate/company computer reach out to your IT as it might be infected 😉

If personal scan with some malware software

[tbang3000]

@momlo COM Surrogate is apparently a vital Windows 10 component that yuo cant just shut down...  have run ccleaner and have a AV scanner running jsut in case, but seems to be still thinking its still open?  I use the file in a loop, then am finished with it.  Maybe it suddenly thinks its still open when all i am doing is uploading the file... it finishes the job but somehow is still in use.  seems also to be only the first file in a group of 4-5 photos thats the issue too... the others i can delete fine.

[momlo]

yeah, that's why recommended to scan as if this process runs from an unusual location and activates on file access - it is very often a sign of infection. But tath's what you need to investigate. 
You can upload the DLL (check the path in Task Manager) to VT to see what it tells you.

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload

Assuming this is a genuine process what you can do to try to workaround is to configure "on error" to repeat the attempt to empty the folder, so if first attempt fails due to file being locked - wait x seconds and try again.

[tbang3000]

thanks @momlo...  no viruses.   I can see COM Surrogate appear as soon as browser loads. The problem does go away if I end the task in task manager manually.  Perhaps there's the ability to end tasks as part of the loop?  SHouldnt have to though.  This is definitely a new problem for existing steps that was never a problem before..

[momlo]

you can use action to kill the process, you can use as another one in th loop

should help until you find root cause, this process is a "bag of everything and nothing" to group to other stuff so you never know what you will be killing there

[tbang3000]

this is driving me nuts.. if anyone else has any ideas.. i still have the problem... loop to wait until the COM Surrogate use is cleared is taking too long for the process required... 😞

[tbang3000]

FYI for anyone reading this in the future, i figured it out.    UPDATE YOUR BROWSER!!  Its becuase your browser is not up to date.  Done this, fixed the problem. COM surrogate is not necessarily a virus.  thank you!