Delete a locked file: Unlocker

Unlocker
http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/


Ever have a file that you just couldn't get rid of, whether it is being locked by a running process, or there was some unknown reason you couldn't figure out?

Here's where Unlocker can save the day (I needed to use this the other day, and thanks to Geeks are Sexy, I was able to take care of a couple files that were causing a backup to generate unneeded warnings.).

This utility can run resident in your system tray, or can be accessed via right-click menu and/or by using 'send to'.

When you come across a file that you wish to 'unlock', you can right-click it and select 'Unlocker...'

If Unlocker can't find a process that has an open handle on the file, you will be given the option to select one of four actions to take against the file in question:

• No action
  
• Delete
• Rename
• Move

If the process is locked, Unlocker will show you what process has the open handle on the file, give you the option of killing the offending process, unlock the file, then allowing you to perform the above options on the file.

Very nice.

Related tools:

• Sysinternals Process Explorer (kill process, but not as intuitive to "unlock" a file)
• Sysinternals MoveFile