Even with Windows 8, Some Things Never Change

You know, in all the "reimagining" that's going on with Windows 8, I wish Microsoft would reimagine some of the long-lived Windows bugs that continue unabated in Windows 8.

One that is particularly glaring to me, since I encounter it regularly, is what I call the desktop file move bug. (Even though it's not strictly tied to the desktop.) In this situation, I've copied a bunch of files to the desktop, as I often do when working. But when done with whatever it is I'm doing, I put all the files into a folder of some kind and archive it on the home server. This entails moving that folder, via Explorer, to the proper network location.

Cue the desktop file move bug, which resembles the following.

still

Sometimes the culprit is obvious. I've used an application like Photoshop to create the file(s) in question, and Windows won't let me move them until I close Photoshop, because this application inexplicably has a lock of some kind on them. So I copy them, and then cannot delete the originals, which is what you see above. Either way, the file(s) and/or folder are "in use." When of course they're not.

In this case, however, it's somewhat unclear which application is preventing me from moving or deleting the files (i.e. Photoshop is closed). And more to the point: I'm the system administrator. How the frick can I not override this? So much for those god-like powers.

This kind of thing is exasperating. And while I understand that the bulk of Microsoft's work in Windows 8 is with this all new WinRT/Metro platform, I think you'll agree that cleaning up past mistakes should be a priority for any new Windows release as well. In fact, it's the sort of thing I expect of an OS that's also billed as "no compromises." Dealing with a glaring Windows 7 bug in Windows 8 is obviously a compromise. 

Note: I actually do know which application "caused" this issue. It's Chrome. I use Chrome to upload files to the web server so you can view them on my web site. How is it that Chrome could "lock" files in this manner? Closing Chrome does "solve" the problem. I shouldn't have to do this. I've been dealing with this for years.


Discuss this Article 10

gmascherino
on Mar 20, 2012
This issue is very annoying and I have been experiencing it a lot lately when I am using VMware. I have a virtual image of my old XP machine that I need to use for old applications that aren't compatible with Windows 7. I frequently use the shared folder to transfer files between my main OS and the VM OS. Of course, the files are locked in Windows 7 until I shutdown my VMware machine even if I have no programs or Explorer window open in the guest OS. Please Microsoft, I beg you to fix this problem.
bzakharin
on Mar 20, 2012
Are you really saying that a user should be able to yank an open file from the program and cause said program to fail? File locks exist for just this reason. Do programs abuse them? Of course they do, but "overriding" such a lock would be extremely dangerous.
MrDiSante
on Mar 20, 2012
Refresher from your operating systems course: - A program needs access to a file. - It requests to open the file from the kernel. - The kernel opens the file, gives the program a handle and makes note of the fact that there's an open handle. - Explorer asks the kernel to delete the file. - Kernel says - no it's open. So, what can explorer do? Well, it can ask the kernel for the list of all programs that have this file open and close them, or it can ask the kernel to force close all of the handles. If you close all of the handles, some really, really bad things can happen (see Raymond Chen's article http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/query/dd547078). So we have to try to close the programs - ok, well we probably want to warn the user first. So it warns you about Chrome needing to close, you say ok, done. Now I use Live Mesh for my data synchronization needs and let's say I just copied a bunch of files to the desktop and it's uploading them. I say delete and Explorer wants to know if it's ok to kill "Mesh Operating Environment". I don't know, is it? Forget that, let's say there are two people logged on to the computer and user A's program has a file open and user B is trying to delete it. What does explorer do then? Ask for administrative permission to kill user B's program and make him lose his data? Ok, say it does that, then user B comes along and notices that his essay which he'd been working on for 4 hours and didn't save is gone - "Stupid Windows! Why would you let some other guy close my programs!" This "bug" is a design decision that all operating systems are faced with, and one that can't be solved with the existing process model. Maybe when Metro apps are all that we're left with you might be able to pull files out from under programs, but until then there isn't any robust solution. Paul, I am disappointed by this article - I expect this from places like Engadget, but with a CS degree, I expected more from you.
realtestman
on Mar 20, 2012
This is one of the things that really annoy me, as it's been there since Windows 95. Quite why, in this day and age, Microsoft don't change the message so that it actually identifies which exact process (or app) is locking the file, I don't know. In fact, it should not only identify which one, it should offer to close the handle (with a warning) or close the app for me to allow it to delete/move/etc. Why do I need to use Process Explorer and/or Unlocker to do this, I really don't know.
spivonious
on Mar 20, 2012
Don't blame Windows, blame the app. If Chrome/Photoshop was properly closing the files after it was done with them, this error wouldn't occur.
JDoors
on Mar 20, 2012
Wow, how long HAS that annoyance been around? Seems I remember it from the Win3x days too. Just a little bit o' code, like, what program triggered the error ... or something ... a hint ... a clue, or an override. Heck, I'd be happy to click a "Are You Sure" verfication that yes, indeed, I mean to override the warning. But no-o-o-o-o ...
CarlitosLx
on Mar 20, 2012
As others have said, killing the process holding the file lock or simply killing the file handle can be pretty bad. That said, Windows should at least try telling the user *what* process is holding the file lock. If Process Explorer can do it, why not the Windows Explorer?
17thMustang
on Mar 20, 2012
I like my taskbar at the top of the screen, as most apps have their 'taskbar' at the top. Yet still I get the odd app that gets stuck under the windows taskbar, even when its locked. So I have to move my windows taskbar or cascade the open windows to sort things out. Everything is okay if the windows taskbar is at the bottom of the screen and this issue dosent arise. But I prefer mine at the top of the screen... I bet Windows 8's desktop does the same thing.
Waethorn
on Mar 20, 2012
Seriously Paul? You're blaming Windows for Chrome not releasing a file? If you think this is a bug, you don't understand how programs work. Even working on shadow copies has too many cons too.
gmascherino
on Mar 26, 2012
I think the point of the article is the inability of Windows to correctly identify when a file lock should be released. Whether it is the fault of the software or the OS it is still a huge annoyance. Again, with my VMWare issue I end up with several 'locked' files in Windows 7 that shouldn't be locked by my guest XP OS. There have always been weird file locks in Windows. It isn't uncommon for a file to become locked and the only solution to unlock the file is to reboot Windows, even if the original application that had the lock is closed. For example, I have experienced cases where a Photoshop .psd file remains locked even after I have shut down Photoshop. Obviously this issue is a Windows issue and not a Photoshop issue as Photoshop isn't running. This isn't exclusive to Photoshop, I only used it as an example.

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