File in use error

[Potatoman]

Sometimes when renaming / deleting a file, it says its in use by another program even if nothing is open. My system is squeaky clean. The only way i can get round this is by restarting. Any ideas?

[stevie21]

I get this too and don't really have a satisfactory answer.
The 2 things that I try are to perform the same function with a batch file. I've no idea why this should work but sometimes does.
Create a new text file and type
rename "oldFilename.doc" "newFilename.doc"
or del "getRidOfMe.doc"
and save this text file as anyFilename.bat
Then double click on that "batch file".

Failing that, run task manager and try to find a process that might still be running and accessing your file. Try closing any non-essential processes.

[IndieSinger]

Often you have to refresh the dialogue box before it realises you've done what it asked. That is, if you're trying to move a song in your My Music folder, you have it playing in Media Player and you close Media Player, it will keep telling you the file's in use until you close the My Music dialogue and open it up again. Would that help?

[TEAK36]

Do you use any P2P sites.I kept getting this message, and discovered that if it was a file I had downloaded, and I had my P2P program open (regardless of that file being uploaded or not) it was not possible to rename or delete.I had to delete the file from the P2P, and then acess the file through the C drive.This then allowed me to change/rename the file.

[OBonio]

Just because you can't see anything running, doesn't mean that nothing is.  If you go to task manager you'll see lots of processes that are running that don't appear on your screen.  Any one of these processes can have your file locked for whatever reason (background virus scanning etc).

You can find out which process has the file locked with this little utility : http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/handle.shtml< /P>

[QmunkE]

I have also experienced this -one odd example was with an update for my Sophos Anti-Virus software. Even in safe mode it wouldn't delete! I think I used a command line to delete it in the end.