Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows NT
    - Admin Tips
      - Miscellaneous
        Find and Remove file locks

Section(s): Miscellaneous
Published on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified on Apr 20, 2004.
Last Modified by Wayne Maples.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 31 votes.

To find open files, from the command line, issue net file command. Text similar to the following will print to the screen:

ID   Path                              User name     # Locks
------------------------------------------------------------
10   C:\images\desktop.gif             wmaples          0
18   C:\images\wayne.gif               wmaples          0
23   C:\apps\sharedpgm\config.txt      wmaples          1
28   C:\dept\its\wmaples\profile.txt   wmaples          0
The command completed successfully.

desktop.gif, wayne.gif, config.txt, and profile.txt are open files on the server. config.txt has a lock on it. It is not uncommon for a shared config file to get a stuck lock which prevents other users from starting the application. To delete the lock, issue command net file 23 /close. Notice you use ID number.