Why can't Windows keep track of which files are in use?
May 25, 2005 4:56 PM   Subscribe

What's Microsoft's excuse for the fact that Windows can't seem to consistently keep track of which files are actually in use, and so periodically I have to reboot the machine in order to actually move, copy, or delete a file? Is there any power-user type fix? Is there a way to lynch their QA department?

Bonus points if you can explain things like how they're sitting on top of so much money, yet can't get stuff like this right after 20 years, and also, original (and legal and mostly ethical) ways I can telegraph my contempt for them to their corporate headquarters.
posted by namespan to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)
 
They can't get stuff like this right after 20 years because they simply don't need to. They're the dominant market force, and that's not likely to change anytime soon.

When you have a de facto monopoly, making better products isn't a high priority.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 5:07 PM on May 25, 2005


Response by poster: WhoLockMe looks good. I don't know if it will help me out of situations where I have closed all applications, and Windows is still insisting there's some kind of sharing violation somewhere, but a man can dream.
posted by namespan at 5:08 PM on May 25, 2005


Process Explorer is both spiffy and free, and has helped me out of many a frustrating "this file is currently in use"-type jam.
posted by Monster_Zero at 5:11 PM on May 25, 2005


I use Unlocker to rid myself of that annoyance. I install it to the 'Send To' folder and it works fine (I don't install it as an Explorer add-on since it messes up the 'Open With' flyout that way).
posted by Dipsomaniac at 7:30 PM on May 25, 2005


Is there any power-user type fix?

yes - get a mac.
posted by Kwantsar at 8:02 PM on May 25, 2005


Kwantsar:
From the frying pan into the fire isn't actually much help :-)

Namespan:
Rebooting the machine is unnecessary. If wholockme doesn't make it easier to see what's going on, I'm kinda curious as to what you're doing... :-)
posted by -harlequin- at 8:11 PM on May 25, 2005




I'm a big fan of Unlocker, I gotta say.

(And sorry, but this is exhibit 1 for how to take a legitimate question and turn it into a whiny diatribe with an afterthought of a question.)
posted by delfuego at 8:32 PM on May 25, 2005


Mac OS X is the best consumer operating system ever offered, and everyone should switch, but I just five minutes ago had to log out and log back in so I could empty my Trash because the Spotlight metadata import process had a file open deep in an application bundle. I didn't have to reboot, and I guess I could just have left it running, but the approach to perfection is still only asymptotic.
posted by nicwolff at 11:23 PM on May 25, 2005


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