Member Avatar for spudly1987

Hey Everyone, so I am having another weird issue I was wondering If anyone might know the solution to, From time to time I run into this error message "The action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program" Although the folder or file is not opened in any other program. I don't know if this is the reason but i will explain the process of how I seem to be getting this error message.

To start off with I have Windows 7 32bit home lap top
I have my desktop which is Windows 7 64bit home desktoped networked in a home group to my lap top, and my desk top has 5 external hard drives connected to it that I use my lap top to access to the hard drives,
There are no open windows or programs running on the desk top that will conflict with me getting this error on my lap top.

So far the only thing that I have done so far to fix the issue is
1. restart the lap top
2. delete the %temp% folders and files
3. close out and reopen the hard drive folder

these usually fix the solution for a time being until it happens again, It can be when I am trying to rename the folder or file, move the folder or file

So if anyone has any solutions or if you need me to post more information please let me know I would like to resolve this once and for all

thank you in advanced.

  • 2 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 228 Views
  • 21 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by spudly1987

Dani AI

Generated

is right that an open handle is holding the folder, but with 's setup (laptop accessing external drives attached to a desktop) the lock very often lives on the desktop or a background service rather than in an obvious app on the laptop. The most reliable approach is to find which process actually holds the handle and close it gracefully, not just reboot the laptop.

Useful diagnostics (run as Administrator on the desktop or laptop as noted): Resource Monitor (resmon.exe) → CPU → Associated Handles, or Sysinternals Process Explorer (run elevated) then Find (Ctrl+F) and search the folder or filename. From an elevated command line on the desktop the built‑in tools below help list and close shared-file handles:

net file
net file <ID> /close

openfiles /query
openfiles /local on   (enables local tracking; requires reboot)

If Process Explorer shows a process name, stop or exit that process (or use Process Explorer’s handle close only when safe). If net file lists the handle, net file <ID> /close will clear the remote share lock. Avoid forcibly killing kernel/system processes — that can crash services or corrupt files if a write is in progress.

Common culprits to check on the desktop: antivirus real-time scanning, Windows Search indexer, media/backup servers (Plex, DLNA, backup software), cloud sync agents, or Explorer’s Preview Pane. Prevent recurrence by excluding the external drive from AV/indexing, disabling the Preview Pane (Alt+P in Explorer) for bulk operations, and disconnecting/remapping the share to clear stale SMB handles. If locks persist despite identifying no normal process, restarting the desktop (which holds the physical drives) will close stubborn handles.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for Lucaci Andrew

That warning appears whenever you are trying to move/delete which has inside of it a prgram that is opened. For example, if you have a music folder, and you want to move it on another partition, but the files are opened in winamp or windows media player, and they are running, the warning message will apear. If you have some programs "hidden" in the process menu, or which for some reasons are defunct, or running in background, and you try to do something with the folder they are in, the warning message will apear.
If you try for example to move a picture folder, while your pictures are open with, for example photoshop, or something else, the warning message will apear.
In order to get rid of that, or not to get that warning message it's better to see inside the folder for what programs are they holding, check the process table for any defuct/background/out-in-front programs, close them, then try again. The same with winamp/music/photos etc. Close the program in which they are opened, and then try to delete/move/rename the files.

Edited by Lucaci Andrew
Member Avatar for spudly1987

Thank you for the information, I can understand that if i was moving a folder/file one from location to another location and the folder/file was already opened I do know that the error message will come up. However even when I just restart the computer and then lets say change the folder/file name maybe I can do two or so at a time but then the error message comes up.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.