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How to Find Out Which Windows Process is Using a File

Ever come across the following messages and wondered how to find out what is using the file?

  • Cannot delete file: Access is denied
  • There has been a sharing violation.
  • The source or destination file may be in use.
  • The file is in use by another program or user.
  • Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.

I found a neat utility that allows you to find out — the site has a list of other alternatives. Unlocker gives you an option in the context menu when you right click on a file that will detail windows process using the file.

http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/

 

 

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Comments

by Sean Clarke (not verified) on 2. June 2012 - 7:47  (94310)

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

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

by Peter Hendricks (not verified) on 29. October 2011 - 20:35  (82377)

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

by MidnightCowboy on 30. October 2011 - 4:23  (82392)

Thanks Peter. Link updated.

by Roger Leavitt (not verified) on 22. October 2010 - 1:47  (59905)

I use Move on Boot. Freeware and works great!

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

by Mike K (not verified) on 30. August 2010 - 18:15  (56998)

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. ;)

by eikelein on 26. August 2010 - 1:24  (56725)

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.

by CyberWolf64 (not verified) on 20. August 2010 - 23:55  (56441)

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.

by Anonymous on 3. February 2010 - 9:27  (42690)

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

by Anonymous on 18. November 2009 - 0:09  (36804)

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!

by Anonymous on 29. May 2009 - 7:35  (22553)

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

by Anonymous on 30. November 2008 - 19:25  (11237)

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

by Anonymous on 20. November 2008 - 14:39  (10766)

Isn't there a console command for this?

by mr6n8 on 17. July 2008 - 12:35  (4367)

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.

by adrianc on 18. July 2008 - 7:56  (4439)

I think previously the website concentrated on the best freeware aspect. Consequently hot finds briefly mentioned in the newsletter may not have made it onto the website. The new Wiki site encourages coverage of 'small' finds with the How-to and User Contributed sections.

Adrian

by Anonymous on 16. July 2008 - 23:18  (4342)

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.

by peter on 17. July 2008 - 11:09  (4363)

I don't think Unlocker works in 64-bit Vista.