Delete or Move System Locked Files with Unlocker- But Use Caution!
Posted by: Barry Cleave in Freeware, tags: Freeware, Locked File, Programs, System Files, System Utilities, Utilities, Windows, Windows XPMore About What it Does in Detail:
The Unlocker website gives some details and there is also information in the Readme.txt file included in the download:
Using Unlocker
————–How often have you tried to delete or rename a file or folder and got
“Cannot delete xxx: It is being used by another person or program.” ?Unlocker is a tool which will help you overcoming this scandalous Windows
bug.Simply right click the file or folder and select Unlocker. If the file
or folder is locked then a window will appear with a list of processes
locking the file or folder. Select the locks and click Unlock and you
are done.It is recommended to Unlock wisely and to close open processes locking
files or folder if any, but if only Explorer.exe is the culprit, do not
hesitate!
Having installed the utility and running it the following screens and menus are available:
This review will follow the usual format of presenting the majority of information as screenshots backed up by further information where necessary.
(click on any picture to enlarge where necessary)
Running Unlocker Assistant in the background at Startup shows the Unlocker Icon in the system tray:
Right Clicking shows the following menu:
This provides options to Hide, Autostart or Close, you cannot start the Unlocker GUI windows from here. To start Unlocker either this can be done from within explorer or automatically by Unlocker Assistant when it detects a locked file you are trying to work with.
Right Clicking on a file or folder in Windows Explorer or a file manager that uses the standard context menu will show:
Clicking on the Unlocker menu line will either start the main Unlocker GUI or the “No Locking handle found” window depending on whether the file/folder is locked or not:
The main GUI will show details of the locked file and the locking process. In the case of multiple files these are all shown in the details pane:
Their is a dropdown box at the bottom left which provides access to a number of actions:
and a set of button to the bottom right:
All these options need some knowledge and care, there is no problem if you understand what you are doing and the implications:
Delete will delete the file completely not using the recycle bin.
selecting delete in the dropdown doesn’t delete the file until you click the Unlock button
Rename is potentially safer but if the file is open in an application may cause a crash or loss of data
using Rename opens a Choose new name of object window
Move has the same issues as Rename above
Copy is the most safest option providing it is appropriate
Kill Process may close a process with other open files causing loss of data or a crash
Unlock for a single file (or selected file in a list) and
Unlock All (for all in a list) should be perfectly safe when No Action is selected in the dropdown but will then allow you to carry out operations on the file which could loose data, crash an application or the system
————————————————————–
The No Locking handle found window shows:
The Dropdown provides access to the same set of actions (except Copy):
Again the warnings given above apply for these Actions.
Delete does not happen until you click the OK button.
Go to Page 3 for ProReviewer Summary
Popularity: 28% [?]
Entries (RSS)