how to delete locked folders/files

Question

How to delete locked folders/files? When I try to delete them an error occurs: "Error removing file: Permission denied" I am root. See the image below to know what kind of folders/files.

thanks

Answer 1

Try the following: launch Terminal and enter

sudo rm -rf '/path/to/locked/folder'

And be VERY careful with the path to folder!

Answer 2

Launch your file explorer as root using:

gksudo nautilus

This will open your file explorer, and grant it root, so it should be able to view/delete the directory/file.

If you are like me, and don't care about the warnings in this question you can use this instead:

sudo nautilus

Answer 3

Steps:

1. Open Terminal.

2. Run command:

   sudo su
   

3. Command above would ask for your password.

4. Once the correct password is given, you would give following command.

   chmod a+rwx folder/file 
   

   and go to home and just delete the folder/file.

5. Exit for root user type exit.

Answer 4

The lock symbol means your user currently have no write permission on the file/folder. To change this:

1. Check the current owner/group/permissions status by right clicking the file/folder, clicking Properties and then switching to the Permissions tab.
2. Open a Terminal by hitting Ctrl+Alt+t.
   • If you are the Owner of the file (i.e. the Owner field shows your username): add write permission to the owner by running this command: chmod u+w <path_to_file_folder>
   • If you are not the Owner of the file, but you are in the Group group (i.e. the Group field shows your username or a name of a group to which you belong, e.g. sudo): add write permission to the group by running this command: sudo chmod g+w <path_to_file_folder>
   • If you are not the Owner of the file and you are not in the Group group: add write permission to the others by running this command: sudo chmod o+w <path_to_file_folder>
3. Run exit

And then just delete the file/folder from Nautilus.

Alternatively:

1. Open a Terminal by hitting Ctrl+Alt+t.
   • Remove the file/folder as root by running this command: sudo rm -rf <path_to_file_folder>

Answer 5

Here is something , that I found was easier to do instead of opening terminal. Right-Click the file and open properties. Then switch to the permissions tab. Then wherever it says Access: change it from whatever it is to Create And Delete Files. This should remove the lock and then you can delete the file normally.