Deleting a file in use without rebooting

[MaRKuS-DJM]

you can also use process explorer by sysinternals, it can close handles... if it is a loaded dll you can try the prog called "undll"

[amigo]

Some years ago I' ve written small program for win 95 /98 /[maybe Me].
It was a dynamically loaded vxd which enabled deleting working files, including working programs. The main patch of the system was in VFAT.vxd, and the other two patches in shell32.dll.
When vxd is loaded, there are no limitations in file sharing - for example it is possible to delete all files on system drive under working Windows .
Windows DON'T HANG of course, because necessary ring3 and ring0 files are loaded in RAM so the files on disk are not necessary. Only strange "sharing files" rules in Windows are responsible for not-permitted deleting of working programs or exclusively open files. There are not "internal" or "systemic" causes for this.
So, it's possible to delete all open files under 9x after patching virtual FAT, WITHOUT closing handles.
I'm sure it's possible under NTFS, when I'll have more time may be I'll look for proper patch in (probably) NTFS.sys .
Regards
amigo

Originally Posted by amigo

Some years ago I' ve written small program for win 95 /98 /[maybe Me].
It was a dynamically loaded vxd which enabled deleting working files, including working programs. The main patch of the system was in VFAT.vxd, and the other two patches in shell32.dll.
When vxd is loaded, there are no limitations in file sharing - for example it is possible to delete all files on system drive under working Windows .
Windows DON'T HANG of course, because necessary ring3 and ring0 files are loaded in RAM so the files on disk are not necessary. Only strange "sharing files" rules in Windows are responsible for not-permitted deleting of working programs or exclusively open files. There are not "internal" or "systemic" causes for this.
So, it's possible to delete all open files under 9x after patching virtual FAT, WITHOUT closing handles.
I'm sure it's possible under NTFS, when I'll have more time may be I'll look for proper patch in (probably) NTFS.sys .
Regards
amigo

this seems dangerous! i just want someway to clear the handle count of a file in a windows system so that it'll permit a DeleteFile call.
something like finding the structure containing the handle counts and the file they point to, and setting it to zero (meaning no one's using the file), so i can delete it. anyone ever done this before?