Files in use

Stephan van Beek

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Dec 11, 2002, 10:35:25 AM12/11/02

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Hi,

Is it possible in WSH, to detect if a file is in use (dll's)?
Can this be checked, using wildcards?
Is it possible to break the lock in WSH?

Thanks,
Stephan van Beek
Océ NL

vbee.vcf

Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Dec 11, 2002, 8:20:46 PM12/11/02

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Stephan van Beek wrote:

> Is it possible in WSH, to detect if a file is in use (dll's)?
> Can this be checked, using wildcards?
> Is it possible to break the lock in WSH?

Hi

What do you want to do with the DLL's, upgrade them to newer versions?

--
torgeir
Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI
Porsgrunn Norway

Stephan van Beek

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Dec 12, 2002, 2:12:46 AM12/12/02

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Hi,

I want to remove them.
Often when uninstalling s/w, some file/folders are remaining.
Sometimes these files are in use.

Regards,
Stephan

vbee.vcf

Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 5:55:24 AM12/12/02

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Stephan van Beek wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I want to remove them.
> Often when uninstalling s/w, some file/folders are remaining.
> Sometimes these files are in use.

Hi

I think something like this would be the simplest and best from a WSH script:

Delete (or at least try ;-) to delete the file(s) or folder, using error
handling (On Error Resume Next). If the file(s) or folder still is there because
files(s) are locked, put a script in RunOnce in registry that deletes the
file(s) or the folder after a reboot. Offer a reboot to the user. The last thing
the RunOnce script file is doing is to delete itself from the disk.

Stephan van Beek

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Dec 12, 2002, 9:29:58 AM12/12/02

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ok, thanks for your advice.

Regards,
Stephan van Beek

vbee.vcf

Michael Harris (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 3:40:58 PM12/12/02

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Stephan van Beek wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I want to remove them.
> Often when uninstalling s/w, some file/folders are remaining.
> Sometimes these files are in use.
>

228930 - How to Replace Currently Locked Files with Inuse.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=228930

--
Michael Harris
Microsoft.MVP.Scripting
Seattle WA US

Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 4:13:56 PM12/12/02

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"Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:

> Stephan van Beek wrote:
> >
> > I want to remove them.
> > Often when uninstalling s/w, some file/folders are remaining.
> > Sometimes these files are in use.
> >
>
> 228930 - How to Replace Currently Locked Files with Inuse.exe
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=228930

Hi

I am not so sure you can use this one to remove files...

Michael Harris (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 5:01:59 PM12/12/02

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Torgeir Bakken (MVP) wrote:
> "Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:
>
>> Stephan van Beek wrote:
>>>
>>> I want to remove them.
>>> Often when uninstalling s/w, some file/folders are remaining.
>>> Sometimes these files are in use.
>>>
>>
>> 228930 - How to Replace Currently Locked Files with Inuse.exe
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=228930
>
> Hi
>
> I am not so sure you can use this one to remove files...

I *think* if you specify NULL as the destination, it might. The link to the
TechNet article in the KB article is dead so I can't check.

I know that the underlying API mechanism it uses does support queueing a
straight delete for inuse files on reboot..

Michael Harris (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 6:00:40 PM12/12/02

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> I *think* if you specify NULL as the destination, it might.

I think I probably got that backwards...

Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 6:15:03 PM12/12/02

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"Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:

> Torgeir Bakken (MVP) wrote:
> > "Michael Harris (MVP)" wrote:
> >>
> >> 228930 - How to Replace Currently Locked Files with Inuse.exe
> >> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=228930

Note that a newer version exists (v1.4):

Inuse.exe: File-In-Use Replace Utility
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/inuse-o.asp

> >
> > I am not so sure you can use this one to remove files...
>
> I *think* if you specify NULL as the destination, it might. The link to the
> TechNet article in the KB article is dead so I can't check.
>
> I know that the underlying API mechanism it uses does support queueing a
> straight delete for inuse files on reboot..

NULL did not work, gave this message "Error: Replacement file doesn't exist"

NUL worked somewhat better:

C:\>C:\tst\inuse.exe NUL C:\tst\b_maint.dll
InUse - version 1.4
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 1994-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved
Windows 2000 detected - WFP is enforced

INUSE is about to replace the following file

Existing: C:\tst\b_maint.dll
Version: 2.2.3.3

Replacement: NUL
No version info available

Do you want to continue?(y/n) y

NUL is replacing --> C:\tst\b_maint.dll

Changes will not take affect until you reboot.

C:\>

BUT PendingFileRenameOperations showed this:

\??\C:\WINNT\TEMP\INU5.tmp
!\??\C:\tst\b_maint.dll

where INU5.tmp was a 0 byte file.

After the reboot b_maint.dll was of course a 0 byte file :-(

Michael Harris (MVP)

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Dec 12, 2002, 9:05:16 PM12/12/02

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> After the reboot b_maint.dll was of course a 0 byte file :-(

So inuse.exe is only applicable to file replacements during an install, but
not file deletions during an uninstall.

Seems a bit of an oversight if you ask me. After all, what goes up, must
come down...

Mike Smith

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Dec 18, 2002, 3:48:27 PM12/18/02

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Sorry if this is a bit of a red herring but:-

Could you not use a Winint.ini to remove the files when the system reboots?

Mike

Michael Harris (MVP) <mik...@mvps.org> wrote in message
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Torgeir Bakken (MVP)

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Dec 18, 2002, 4:00:15 PM12/18/02

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Mike Smith wrote:

> Sorry if this is a bit of a red herring but:-
>
> Could you not use a Winint.ini to remove the files when the system reboots?

Yes, but wininit.ini only works on Win9x and WinME (where inuse.exe does not
work).