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Q242119: Unable to Lock for Exclusive Use Message in Disk Administrator

Article: Q242119
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 10-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
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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:

  a. Start Disk Administrator.

  b. On the Tools menu, click Assign Drive Letter.

  c. Click "Do not assign a drive letter", and then click OK.

  d. On the Partition menu, click Commit Changes Now.

  e. Quit Disk Administrator, and then restart the computer.

Additional query words: admin extended logical partition thread

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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