Is there a way to handle locked file from command line and release it? [closed]

Question

Is there a way to detect locked files in specify folder and release them by command line?

Something like this in pseudo-code:

for file in folder do
unlock file

Pushcart

What's the real problem? – Medick

-1! Bad question for stackoverflow.com .. must be asked on superuser.com – Abettor

@Abettor Did you know that you can use the "flag" link underneath the question's tags to suggest that it be migrated to another, more appropriate site? – Lewiss

A guy asks if a specific feature in the Windows API exists so he can write a utility program, and that's not a programming question and belongs on superuser? I don't get it. – Carpometacarpus

The question doesn't ask if the feature exists in the Windows API, he asks for a way to do it by the command line. The command line is not a programming language, or a programmatic interface. It's a user interface, just like Windows Explorer. – Lewiss

This is a task that a programmer is likely to have to do. If you must move the question, go ahead and move it. But for a programmer who just wants to get something done, closing a question like this just gets in the way. It is frankly by far the most annoying thing that regularly happens on SO. – Warthog

@CodyGray - There are probably several people who hang in the [cmd] tag that might disagree with you. – Fyrd

Answer 1

Yes, this is possible using a free utility called Handle, by Mark Russinovich.

It can be download here from Microsoft.

This runs from the command line, and will tell you which program has a particular file or directory open, based on whether it has an open handle to that resource.

By running handle.exe with the -c flag, you can also force the specified handle closed, which will unlock the resource. But fair warning: this will likely cause the application using the resource to crash, perhaps even the entire system to become unstable. So I wouldn't make a habit of doing this; only use it for special cases like debugging where you expect some instability.

Lewiss

Thanks, but it seems that it harder to work with handle.exe, because it should to get the pid, i want to create a batch file that know to search foreach a file is in the specific folder and unlock it.. – Pushcart

@David Harder than what? That seems like a really strange plan. If applications are using those files and you close all the handles, you've got a serious problem on your hands. – Lewiss

Answer 2

No, you can't you have to close the application holding the lock first. Unlocker may help you locate the source of the lock - if it's a crashed application then you'll be able to terminate it's process.

Medick

If Unlocker can do it, then there is a programmatic way to do it. Otherwise, Unlocker wouldn't work. – Woodbury

Unlocker is terrible. Lock Hunter is at least usable. – Berwick