Unable To Lock for Exclusive Access Message in Disk Admin, with No Files Open (242119)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
This article was previously published under Q242119

SYMPTOMS

When you try to remove a partition, stripe set, or mirror set in Disk Administrator, you may receive the following error message:
The drive cannot be locked for exclusive use.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if a file is open on the volume that you are trying to work with. A file is open when:

  • A paging file is located on the volume.
  • A program that was started from the volume is still running.
  • A program that is running has loaded a .dll file from the volume.
  • A program has a file open on the volume.
  • A program's current folder is on the volume.
This behavior can also occur even when there are no files open on the volume because a service that is running on the computer may place a lock on the volume.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, perform the following steps, and try to gain access to the volume after each step, and if the issue is resolved, do not finish the remaining steps:

  1. Make sure that all files and programs are closed.
  2. Stop all services except those required for the most basic computer operation.
  3. If you were running Microsoft Mail or Microsoft Schedule+, start Mail, and then, on the File menu, click Exit and Sign Out to stop any hidden processes.
  4. If you were running Microsoft Outlook, start Task Manager, and then stop the Outlook.exe process if it appears in the list on the Processes tab.
  5. If you run a Systems Management Server (SMS) client, use the Kill.exe program in the Psstools folder on the Systems Management Server CD-ROM, or use Process Viewer in the Microsoft Windows NT Resource Kit to stop the following processes:

    APPCTL32
    PCMWIN32

  6. If there is a paging file on the volume, define a paging file of sufficient size on another volume, remove the one on the volume where you are trying to gain access, and then restart the computer.
  7. If you log on to the computer with a logon script containing an SMS batch file, remove the batch file from the logon script, and then log on again.
  8. To make the volume inaccessible to any processes and to ensure that Disk Administrator can lock the volume:
    1. Start Disk Administrator.
    2. On the Tools menu, click Assign Drive Letter.
    3. Click Do not assign a drive letter, and then click OK.
    4. On the Partition menu, click Commit Changes Now.
    5. Quit Disk Administrator, and then restart the computer.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/27/2002
Keywords:kbprb KB242119
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.