unlock a file in vb.net that was locked by system or another vb.net app

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Posted 22-Sep-11 21:07pm

Member 8260761

Updated 21-May-23 7:12am

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OriginalGriff · Answer 1 · 2011-09-22T21:26:00

Solution 1

You can't.
The file is locked because it has been opened: it is in use.
The most common reason for this is that your own app has opened the file, and failed to close and dispose the file stream correctly. The file then remains in use until the garbage collector disposes the stream automatically, or the app ends.

Posted 22-Sep-11 21:26pm

OriginalGriff

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Mehdi Gholam 23-Sep-11 3:34am

my 5!

Peter Adam · Answer 2 · 2023-05-21T07:12:00

Solution 2

Unlocking the file can be done by the locker.

To access the file share it with other processes (including the original), try it by specifying the FileShare mode ReadWrite.

Using myFile As FileStream = New FileStream(ediWatchedFile.Text, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite)

For example, it works on a VirtualBox COM port redirected to a file.

How to Read Locked file in VB or C# - BinaryWorld Blog[^]

FileShare Enum (System.IO) | Microsoft Learn[^]

Posted 21-May-23 7:12am

Peter Adam

Comments

Richard Deeming 22-May-23 3:50am

Your almost 12 years too late, and basically repeating what has already been said.

And resurrecting an old question to link to a blog looks suspiciously like spam.

Peter Adam 22-May-23 4:35am

Sorry, I just had the same question, found this "answer", and was able to solve my problem. Well, if you want to read from the locked file, you probably can do it. If you want to write into it, then out of luck. OP did not specify why he/she wanted to unlock the file.