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Locked files aka Files in use: I cannot move folders because they contain files previously in use. Not closed properly after a crash or a removed external HD. How can I find and close all open files under Windows 10?
I don't want to run checkdsk because it will remove needed files without warning.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Hello, my name is Marco and I am an Independent Advisor. I will do my best to help you.
You just need to close the application that running these files in the background.
To close it, right click on taskbar and select "Taskmanager "
In the 'process' tab click on the application which you think is executing these files and 'end process'
Now you can move folders.
How can I find and close all open files under Windows 10?
Rebooting will do the trick.
The applications have been closed. The system restarted. Yet the problem remains. Windows continues to think that there are files in use, but only file explorer is running. I suspect they are leftover from hard restarts of perhaps the drive not being dismounted properly from windows or mac OS.
If it show this message, it is because there is an application running in the background that you do not see, that's why I said to close what you find suspicious in the taskmanager.
I'm not sure what you mean as I'm not opening any applications and I have the system disconnected from the wifi (offline). I am simply trying to move a folder that contains files the system has flagged as in use. Ideally, there would be a command or script I could run that would find all files that Windows has flagged as open and close them, thereby eliminating the 'file in use' error.
