Explorer.exe locking files...

[hawkeye81x]

I'm having this strange issue where explorer.exe is keeping an active process on AVI files.
I can't delete them or move any of them because explorer is keeping handle on them or something.
It seems so far that AVIs are the only files type that this is happening too.

Any ideas anyone?

 

[alm4rr]

open video program
ctrl alt delete
kill explorer.exe
-open up the file with vid program
when all done, click on application tab and hit new task and type in explorer.exe

I don't know why either, but this happened to me the other day and this fixed it.
Happened during a dl in directconnect that finished dl'n but explorer wouldn't let go
*shrug*

let me know how it works

 

[alm4rr]

PS - im assuming you are running XP

 

[hawkeye81x]

Didn't work.
The only temporary solution I have is to remove the AVI Handler from the reg
but I have to sacrifice the ability for the avi info the be previewed like duration, bitrate and such.

 

[alm4rr]

get this app and that should tell you what processes are on a directory or file

Process explorer
www.sysinternals.com

If you kill explorer, then it won't have a hold on it, it's gotta be something else....

 

[hawkeye81x]

I've kill explorer and re-run it.
But explorer still immediately takes a hold of the file as soon as I open the folder the file is contained in.

The second I click on a file, explorer.exe immediately starts a process. I'm witnessing it in the Process Explorer window.

From other solution pages (one which told me to del the avi handler reg key),
the problem lies in Windows constantly trying to generate preview data for a file.
It seems that XP just never completes getting all the info so the process remains active.

 

[hawkeye81x]

And also, if I try to close the handle and then try to delete,
the same thing happens because it just generates a new handle the minute I click on the file.

 

[alm4rr]

Originally posted by: hawkeye81x
I've kill explorer and re-run it.
But explorer still immediately takes a hold of the file as soon as I open the folder the file is contained in.

The second I click on a file, explorer.exe immediately starts a process. I'm witnessing it in the Process Explorer window.

From other solution pages (one which told me to del the avi handler reg key),
the problem lies in Windows constantly trying to generate preview data for a file.
It seems that XP just never completes getting all the info so the process remains active.

no don't open the folder- run the file through the media player software

try that

 

[oog]

or delete the file through a cmd window while explorer is dead

 

[rainypickles]

i hate when that happens. my solution is to just click the file and wait a few seconds. my guess would be that explorer is using the file to get the attributes someone mentioned, and it is locking it for that. after a few seconds, you should be able to move/delet the file.