Files in Use by Another Program

[Shoe]

Working with files in Windows 7 (Home Edition Premium 32 bit) is
maddening. I am trying to move and rename files that have not been
open for months and I keep getting the file in use message. Sometimes
there are no problems, often I can't do what I want. Usually if I
close and reopen the library the problem goes away for a while. I've
read the articles in knowledge base and they take the usual approach
of shutting down all programs. That is ridiculous! I never had to do
that in XP and see no reason why I should have to do it in 7. Does
anyone know of a way around this or of another file management utility
I can use?

 

[Big Steel]

Working with files in Windows 7 (Home Edition Premium 32 bit) is
maddening. I am trying to move and rename files that have not been
open for months and I keep getting the file in use message. Sometimes
there are no problems, often I can't do what I want. Usually if I
close and reopen the library the problem goes away for a while. I've
read the articles in knowledge base and they take the usual approach
of shutting down all programs. That is ridiculous! I never had to do
that in XP and see no reason why I should have to do it in 7. Does
anyone know of a way around this or of another file management utility
I can use?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

 

[richard]

Working with files in Windows 7 (Home Edition Premium 32 bit) is
maddening. I am trying to move and rename files that have not been
open for months and I keep getting the file in use message. Sometimes
there are no problems, often I can't do what I want. Usually if I
close and reopen the library the problem goes away for a while. I've
read the articles in knowledge base and they take the usual approach
of shutting down all programs. That is ridiculous! I never had to do
that in XP and see no reason why I should have to do it in 7. Does
anyone know of a way around this or of another file management utility
I can use?

You need to take ownership.
This report happens because ownership is set to "trusted installer".
Once you change ownership, then you can manipulate the file as needed.

Right click on the file name.
Select properties.
Select the "security" tab.
Click on "edit".
You can now change how ownership is controlled.

Note: This MAY NOT work on previous versions of windows.

 

[Big Steel]

You need to take ownership.
This report happens because ownership is set to "trusted installer".
Once you change ownership, then you can manipulate the file as needed.

Right click on the file name.
Select properties.
Select the "security" tab.
Click on "edit".
You can now change how ownership is controlled.

Note: This MAY NOT work on previous versions of windows.

File ownership has nothing to do with a program having an open handle on
a file. A file is exclusively locked while in use, unless you are using
a file that a program can append data to the file.

 

[richard]

File ownership has nothing to do with a program having an open handle on
a file. A file is exclusively locked while in use, unless you are using
a file that a program can append data to the file.

Windows has always had a problem with falsely reporting a file "in use"
when it was not.

Go into your folders where the images are stored for your "themes" stuff.
Try to do anything with them. You can't. Even though you are not even
running a theme. Why? Because that is how "trusted installer" behaves.
That image or file is locked out of the loop until you change ownership.

You would think that if Windows is kind enough to tell us that the file is
in use by a program, that Windows can certainly therefore tell us which
program is using it.

 

[Big Steel]

Windows has always had a problem with falsely reporting a file "in use"
when it was not.

I don't think so. I write programs for Windows professionally. If the
file is opened it's opened and in use. You show facts.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Windows has always had a problem with falsely reporting a file "in use"
when it was not.

Go into your folders where the images are stored for your "themes" stuff.
Try to do anything with them. You can't. Even though you are not even
running a theme. Why? Because that is how "trusted installer" behaves.
That image or file is locked out of the loop until you change ownership.

You would think that if Windows is kind enough to tell us that the file is
in use by a program, that Windows can certainly therefore tell us which
program is using it.

There is a download (probably many, but this one I have used):

LockHunter

at http://lockhunter.com/?ver=&vertype=pro&sm=main_window_64

 

[Shoe]

I don't think so. I write programs for Windows professionally. If the
file is opened it's opened and in use. You show facts.

I installed the Unlocker program, which shows what program is using
the file. The only program using the file is Windows Explorer.
Obviously, I cannot do anything with the file using Windows Explorer
if that is the program using the file. A real Catch 22. I even tried
Safe mode and had the same problem. I have no idea what to do next.

 

[richard]

I installed the Unlocker program, which shows what program is using
the file. The only program using the file is Windows Explorer.
Obviously, I cannot do anything with the file using Windows Explorer
if that is the program using the file. A real Catch 22. I even tried
Safe mode and had the same problem. I have no idea what to do next.

There ya go. "in use" only because it's being listed in windows explorer
which may or may not be open at the time.

Did you check the properties of that file to find out what "owns" it?

 

[relic]

I installed the Unlocker program, which shows what program is using
the file. The only program using the file is Windows Explorer.
Obviously, I cannot do anything with the file using Windows Explorer
if that is the program using the file. A real Catch 22. I even tried
Safe mode and had the same problem. I have no idea what to do next.

One of the oldest problems; been around since XP, maybe before.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....xplorer"+group:alt.os.windows-xp+author:relic

(or, http://tinyurl.com/4gg6hkd )

 

[Big Steel]

There ya go. "in use" only because it's being listed in windows explorer
which may or may not be open at the time.

Did you check the properties of that file to find out what "owns" it?

If Explorer has a handle on the file it has a handle, which has nothing
to do with ownership. If it was an ownership issue, which is based on
user account permission and NTFS, it would be 'access denied'.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

One of the oldest problems; been around since XP, maybe before.
http://groups.google.com/group/alt....xplorer"+group:alt.os.windows-xp+author:relic

(or, http://tinyurl.com/4gg6hkd )

That's what I was going to suggest next as well

Well, sort of - I would have missed the (rather important) detail about
shutting down Explorer.

To the OP - it looks pretty scary when you do that - your desktop will
look very weird until you get back restarting Explorer from the task
manager.

 

[Bob I]

I installed the Unlocker program, which shows what program is using
the file. The only program using the file is Windows Explorer.
Obviously, I cannot do anything with the file using Windows Explorer
if that is the program using the file. A real Catch 22. I even tried
Safe mode and had the same problem. I have no idea what to do next.

So are these "files", actually pictures or movies? That can be a problem
when you set your system to show thumbnails, instead of icons.

 

[Char Jackson]

Working with files in Windows 7 (Home Edition Premium 32 bit) is
maddening. I am trying to move and rename files that have not been
open for months and I keep getting the file in use message. Sometimes
there are no problems, often I can't do what I want. Usually if I
close and reopen the library the problem goes away for a while. I've
read the articles in knowledge base and they take the usual approach
of shutting down all programs. That is ridiculous! I never had to do
that in XP and see no reason why I should have to do it in 7. Does
anyone know of a way around this or of another file management utility
I can use?

You've probably got this resolved by now, but for future reference it
would be helpful to specify the types of files in question, especially
their respective file extensions, where in the filesystem they reside,
(full path can be helpful), and how you're trying to access and
manipulate them.

 

[Flint]

Windows has always had a problem with falsely reporting a file "in use"
when it was not.

Go into your folders where the images are stored for your "themes" stuff.
Try to do anything with them. You can't. Even though you are not even
running a theme. Why? Because that is how "trusted installer" behaves.
That image or file is locked out of the loop until you change ownership.

You would think that if Windows is kind enough to tell us that the file is
in use by a program, that Windows can certainly therefore tell us which
program is using it.

This could also be a job for 'Unlocker'.

read about it at:
http://unlocker.emptyloop.com/

download at:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

 

[Shoe]

So are these "files", actually pictures or movies? That can be a problem
when you set your system to show thumbnails, instead of icons.

They are usually pictures or mp3 files, but I show list, no
thumbnails. What I have learned so far is that I cannot first click
on the file and then try to move it. Apparently, clicking on the file
causes Windows Explorer to think it's in use. I have to click and
move in one motion. Even that does not always work. Ownership of the
file is not an issue as I can often come back later and move the file.
I am trying to organize my pictures in a logical way, that's why all
the file and folder moving.

 

[Mark F]

You need to take ownership.
This report happens because ownership is set to "trusted installer".
Once you change ownership, then you can manipulate the file as needed.

Right click on the file name.
Select properties.
Select the "security" tab.
Click on "edit".

How do you change the ownership back to the original owner, including
making all the ACLs (Access Control Lists) correct, as well as those
of any parents and children that my have been affected by changing
the owner?

 

[Shoe]

This could also be a job for 'Unlocker'.

read about it at:
http://unlocker.emptyloop.com/

download at:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_unlocker/

Yes, I tried Unlocker. Problem is, it shows the file is in use only
by Windows Explorer! If I close that, I can't move the file.

 

[Shoe]

That's what I was going to suggest next as well

Well, sort of - I would have missed the (rather important) detail about
shutting down Explorer.

To the OP - it looks pretty scary when you do that - your desktop will
look very weird until you get back restarting Explorer from the task
manager.

Exactly - trouble is I don't want to delete the file or folder, I want
to move it. I must have Windows Explorer open to do that.

 

[Bob I]

They are usually pictures or mp3 files, but I show list, no
thumbnails. What I have learned so far is that I cannot first click
on the file and then try to move it. Apparently, clicking on the file
causes Windows Explorer to think it's in use. I have to click and
move in one motion. Even that does not always work. Ownership of the
file is not an issue as I can often come back later and move the file.
I am trying to organize my pictures in a logical way, that's why all
the file and folder moving.

Perhaps "media streaming" is turned on?
Find it by Start "media streaming" in the search box.