Unlocking a File on the Hard Drive

  • Sometimes during database backups, old backup files cannot be deleted because they are locked by another application. I'm pretty sure this other application is the Windows operating system. Right now, the only way I know of the unlock a file that is locked by the operating system is to reboot the server. Is there any other way to unlock a file that is locked by the operating system? Thanks.

    :crazy:

  • If that occurs with our backup jobs, it's always an xcopy still trying to copy the file to a safe zone.

    We examine why that copy is taking that long and relaunch the backup job.

    In extreme cases, we kill the xcopy app. using task manager.

    Johan

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  • Grab a copy of sysinternals process manager, that can show exactly what app really is holding the file open.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

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