How to Find Out Which Windows Process is Using a File

Just downloaded this and got a Trojan warning. Take Care.

I've contact the author if I knew how. I welcome their feedback.

The web site has changed: http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/

I use Move on Boot. Freeware and works great!

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/emcomob.html

If you're using Vista or Windows 7, I've found the best thing to do is use the free program 'Process Explorer'. When you open the program, do a CTRL+F (or click Handle --> Find Handle or DLL..) and search for the file that is locked. It will come back and show you which process has the file open. It has saved me from much frustration in the past. ;)

When I install Unlocker on ANY system (XP through 7) with Microsoft Security Essentials running I ALWAYS get an alarm about the ebay "spyware" that comes bundled. BUT if you watch what you do you can DE-select installation of this so called ebay shortcut.
The alarm is sounded by MSE upon unpacking the installer; the location is always in the user's Temp folder.
If you de-selected the ebay shortcut you can even have MSE remove the offending file with no ill effects.

IF you download Unlocker from a less than reputable site of course you will probably end up with an infection.
I downloaded v1.8.7 from Authors site as well as 2 reputable sites and NO INFECTIONS present PERIOD.
I have been using it for quite a while as well. Basically since its release.
I love the app it has helped me to dislodge pesky locked files easily and handily.
So, basically it just comes down to practicing safe computing ON:Y DOWNLOAD FROM A KNOWN REPUTABLE SOURCE.
I scanned the ebay shortcuts exe file and nothing sounded an alarm, and it NEVER installed anything concerning ebay when i originally installed Unlocker.

ESET NOD32 identifies unlocker as adware/spyware. Googling for "Unlocker Adware", I found that unfortunatelly it is true. For more details, check this article
http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/paytonbyrd/beware-unlocker-187-26919

While looking for alternatives to Unlocker, I've found Process Explorer by Microsoft

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

It has worked fine with me. It is very simple to unlock files but not obvious at first sight, so a two step guide can be found here

http://www.microsoftnow.com/2008/10/unlocking-files-that-are-in-use.html

Perfect little tool. Helped me remove this pesky folder that's been getting in the way of installing a game of mine. Thanks for the awesome download!

Had a problem “Cannot delete file: Access is denied” the pathtoolong.com helped me.

for 64-bit use sysinternals process explorer it has a find hANDLE FUNCTION

Isn't there a console command for this?

I first found about Unlocker through Gizmo's newsletter back in March, 2006 and have been very pleased with it. I have suggested it to many people having locked file issues and they have always been happy with it. I was surprised that it had not been mentioned here previously.

It doesn't work for super-hidden files - e.g. metadata and so on - , and I wonder how efective it is in Vista because of the new system file permissions. But Unlocker is not a new software... I would say if I want to know which process is using a file, I'm using Process Explorer, if I want to unlock a file, I'm using Unlocker... or not. You can do that through Explorer.