Windows Media Library problem

Hi. First post from ageing driver with L plates, so please excuse any bumps
on the kerb as I explain the problem. I have Windows XP Home version 2002
Service Pack 3, and am using Windows Media Player version 11.0.5721.5230. In
the last 48 hours I have been unable to view the contents of my Media
Library, in any of the categories such as genre, album etc ; the message on
the screen is that there are no items in the library. However this is not the
case, there are some 25GB of mp3 files or more. The player is also not
monitoring new files as I play them, and not adding them to the library as it
did before. I tried the various troubleshooting avenues presented but to no
avail. I then went to the Microsoft Help pages, where I found the precise
problem identified and the solution given was to clear the Media Player
database ( corrupted, it said ) by the procedure START, RUN, type in "
%userprofile%\Local Settings \ Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player ", OK,
select all files, DELETE, then restart Media Player...whereupon I assume the
library would be rebuilt. Tried this and found that all the files deleted
except " CurrentDatabase_360.wmdb " which a dialogue box informed me was in
use by another programme or person, and should be closed before deletion. And
thats where, like a typical learner, I stalled. I tried restarting the
computer, no effect. Closed all programmes, worked offline, no effect. Could
anyone please advise how to proceed - in simple terms please - hopefully
preserving the library if possible. And my sanity...