microsoft
File Locksmith - Unlock file
Description of the new feature / enhancement
Many of the existing similar tools offer to unlock the file, rather than killing the target process. In many cases this is successful. I don't know how this technically works but it is possible and should be added here too.
Tool where this is possible: Unlocker IObit Unlocker
Scenario when this would be used?
A file is locked by process but can be unlocked without killing the process.
Supporting information
No response
While possible, by doing this, that target app could be destabilized. That app made assumptions about how they want to interact with it.
Also LockHunter tool: https://lockhunter.com/download.htm
And, the most common operation is missing: Delete the file/folder I always use such tools to delete the file/folder .
While possible, by doing this, that target app could be destabilized.
Could be.... yes. Still better than killing the app. However, in all cases where I successfully unlocked a file without killing a process, the target process just ran fine afterwards. Plus, its still a choice the end user has to take himself. If you prefer killing the process, you can still do.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/
I usually use Process Explorer to find out which process is locking up my files
and windows Resource Monitor can also do the same thing
