Replace Files in use and unlock files

[Tripo]

I want to replace some files that is in use.

How can I do that in win9x.

also is there any unlocker apps that works on win9x

[Drugwash]

Reboot to plain DOS (hold F8 while booting) and replace the files. It's good practice to keep backup copies in case anything goes wrong.

If there's too many files to replace manually:

- create a folder in the root drive (say C:\newfiles)

- create another folder for backups (say C:\backup)

- copy the replacement files in newfiles

- copy the original files in backup

- create a batch file that copies new files to the desired location(s) and place it in newfiles

- reboot to DOS and run the batch file

If any of the original files has Read-only, Hidden and/or System attributes, remove them before rebooting to DOS.

[eidenk]

You may want to try those :

http://www.kraftig.com/installfile.htm

http://www.noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=misc#CopyLock2

[Tripo]

Reboot to plain DOS (hold F8 while booting) and replace the files. It's good practice to keep backup copies in case anything goes wrong.

If there's too many files to replace manually:

- create a folder in the root drive (say C:\newfiles)

- create another folder for backups (say C:\backup)

- copy the replacement files in newfiles

- copy the original files in backup

- create a batch file that copies new files to the desired location(s) and place it in newfiles

- reboot to DOS and run the batch file

If any of the original files has Read-only, Hidden and/or System attributes, remove them before rebooting to DOS.

Yea I know how to copy files in DOS.

But I did hope that there was a software for win.

You may want to try those :

http://www.kraftig.com/installfile.htm

http://www.noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=misc#CopyLock2

I will check them out and see.

Thanks.

:chears: man

[submix8c]

This subject has come up before, so Thx from me also, eidenk.

Still begs the question - "What Files Would Be In-Use On Win9x/ME That Can't Be Copied?"

Normally, if the file is actively Opened (e.g. WIN386.SWP or maybe a DOC file in WORD), then that file is "locked".

Another question mght be "Why Is This File Locked?"

Normally, there's a reason to "lock" a given file. Am I missing something here?

edit - see below. the reason! and how to find them/kill them. (brain fart here...)

Edited March 11, 2009 by submix8c

[eidenk]

There is this one as well :

http://killbox.net/

Probably easier to use than the two others.

Anyway what they are all doing is delete on reboot through wininit.exe/wininit.ini, so they are mostly wininit.ini editors in fact.

[Drugwash]

Install and run CodeStuff Starter, it will tell you what processes are running and what files (dependencies) are loaded for each of them. As long as a process is running, all its dependencies will be locked.

To free a file, its parent process must be closed/killed. But system files can be shared between multiple processes, so all of those processes should be stopped before being able to operate on that file.

Kernel files cannot be operated on since they're always running and cannot be shut down; that's why any change to such files (installing KernelEx, for example) needs a reboot, so that key files can be operated on while in DOS mode, before being loaded by the Windows subsystem.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Drugwash

[whatever420]

If it's a win98 system, why not simply use System File Checker (SFC.exe) to replace files that are locked or "in use"...?