How to Find Out Which Windows Process is Using a File
Wed, 07/16/2008 - 20:10 — adrianc
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://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
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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.
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
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.
I don't think Unlocker works in 64-bit Vista.
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