The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process

Question

I have a set of nightly reports.

Sometimes I get the exception:

The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another proce

Answer 1

1. Process Explorer > Find > Find Handle > type in your file name.
2. Unlocker. Try to open it, if it has a lock, unlocker will open and show you the programs that lock it.

Answer 2

I was trying to start a Java program and got the message. Looking in Task Manager, there was already a Java task running (looping?) when I killed that process, my process was able to run.

Answer 3

The problem was the MailMessage in .NET was holding on to the file attachments. I had to do a dispose on the attachment and then it worked.

Answer 4

Use a tool like Process Explorer or Process Monitor.

Answer 5

here some tool(s) which tells and unlock locked files: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

Answer 6

Filemon might be the tool you are looking for.

(or even Process Monitor which apparently has replaced FileMon.)