Windows XP: how to tell who is using a file

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How do I delete a 'locked' file?

Sometimes it happens that I can't delete a file because it appears to be in use by some program. Of course there is no obvious process using it (it's not that I don't see VLC playing an AVI I want to erase), so how can I find out what's keeping it busy?

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 25 '10 at 13:50

6

Install Process Explorer. Choose “Find / Handle or DLL” in the menu and enter a substring of the file name.

There's also Handle if you want a command line interface.

answered Sep 25 '10 at 13:50

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

70,726

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 11 '12 at 12:10

5

There's a great freeware tool called Unlocker that can solve this exact problem rather easily.

edited Jun 11 '12 at 12:10

Bob

61,637

answered Sep 25 '10 at 13:41

LawrenceC

73,957

No way to do it without installing external programs? – Matteo Riva Sep 25 '10 at 13:48
Process Explorer suggested by @Gilles is interesting too, but accepting this as it more directly solves the specific issue – Matteo Riva Sep 25 '10 at 14:08
You can use LiberKey (www.liberkey.com) to have portable solutions like that without the need of installing them on current system. – kokbira Jun 11 '12 at 12:48

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 25 '10 at 13:51

-1

How to take ownership of a file or a folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421

answered Sep 25 '10 at 13:51

Aki

519

2

Taking ownership is not the same as find out what other user/process has the file locked. – ChrisF Sep 25 '10 at 13:53

Windows XP: how to tell who is using a file

3 Answers3