I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but I am going to ask it anyway.
I have a frequent problem when I try to rename one of my folders; it says access is denied. I have full administrative rights on my computer. The problem occurs only when I try to do it via command prompt or batch files. I can manually rename the folder with no problems whatsoever. But I need to be able to rename it using the ren command. It is an irritating problem, and I have heard other people having the same problems. They usually fix it by re-taking ownership of the folder and restarting the computer. This works for me, but I hate having to do this every time. Is there a permanent solution that I can do to stop this problem? Also, when this problem occurs, it happens to all folders; I can't rename any of them using the ren command.
The answer is quite simple:
Windows does not permit deletion or renaming a directory/folder which is
the current directory of any running process (application/service) like the command process, or
any subdirectory of the directory to rename is the current directory of any running process, or
any file is opened in the directory to rename or any of its subdirectories by any process with OF_SHARE_DENY_READ, OF_SHARE_DENY_WRITE, OF_SHARE_EXCLUSIVE used on opening the file.
In other words as long as the directory itself or any file or subdirectory in this directory or its subdirectories is in use by any application, Windows denies renaming or deleting the directory.
On Unix/Linux it is possible to delete or rename a directory while it is in use by 1 or more running processes. The running *nix process has to handle the special use case that the directory or file just accessed successfully a millisecond before does suddenly not exist anymore.
My approach to solving this problem is to run the utility Handle, by Mark Russinovich of Windows Sysinternals. You can find it here.
This utility will show all the open handles on the system and which process is using them. One of them may have a path to the folder you are trying to rename.
I typically redirect the output of handle.exe to a file.
handle >handles.txt
Then I look at handles.txt in a text editor and search for the name of the folder I was trying to rename. It will appear in a section of handles belonging to the process that is keeping the handle to that folder open, and hence preventing it from being renamed. It shows the pid of the offending process, which you can decide how to deal with, in case you need to terminate it.
e.g. Trying to rename myfolder I forgot I had started a service running using pm2 (a process monitor) The output of Handle.exe included the following:
node.exe pid: 12752 DISCO\Stu
40: File (---) C:\Dev\myfolder\service
I fixed this by disabling Quick Access:
See Screenshot:
[
Well before you can run this command you have to have the privileges to do so as overwriting or modifying files from the command line requires admin rights. Once you got that done, enter the following:
ren (path name) (modified name, no quotation marks)
1 copy path of the folder. To do this, hold shift and right-click, you'll see the "copy as path option"
2 open cmd as admin. To do this, press window + X, then A.
3 in the cmd, type "cd C: then paste the path" so it will be, for example, like:
cd C:\Users\abc\Desktop\music
before you press enter, quote the last name; for example:
cd C:\Users\abc\Desktop\"music"
4 Next, type: ren *.present extension *.new extension; For example, from mp3 to exe:
ren *.mp3 *.exe
If no extension was existing, then, for example:
ren *. *.exe
This should work and eliminate the access denied nuisance.
I solved this problem by giving the user who run the batch full right on the directory. It seems the right from a group membership is not sufficient: the user was member of the local group Administrators and I received a "Access denied". After having added the user account in the directory security with full rights, it does the job.
Related
I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but I am going to ask it anyway.
I have a frequent problem when I try to rename one of my folders; it says access is denied. I have full administrative rights on my computer. The problem occurs only when I try to do it via command prompt or batch files. I can manually rename the folder with no problems whatsoever. But I need to be able to rename it using the ren command. It is an irritating problem, and I have heard other people having the same problems. They usually fix it by re-taking ownership of the folder and restarting the computer. This works for me, but I hate having to do this every time. Is there a permanent solution that I can do to stop this problem? Also, when this problem occurs, it happens to all folders; I can't rename any of them using the ren command.
The answer is quite simple:
Windows does not permit deletion or renaming a directory/folder which is
the current directory of any running process (application/service) like the command process, or
any subdirectory of the directory to rename is the current directory of any running process, or
any file is opened in the directory to rename or any of its subdirectories by any process with OF_SHARE_DENY_READ, OF_SHARE_DENY_WRITE, OF_SHARE_EXCLUSIVE used on opening the file.
In other words as long as the directory itself or any file or subdirectory in this directory or its subdirectories is in use by any application, Windows denies renaming or deleting the directory.
On Unix/Linux it is possible to delete or rename a directory while it is in use by 1 or more running processes. The running *nix process has to handle the special use case that the directory or file just accessed successfully a millisecond before does suddenly not exist anymore.
My approach to solving this problem is to run the utility Handle, by Mark Russinovich of Windows Sysinternals. You can find it here.
This utility will show all the open handles on the system and which process is using them. One of them may have a path to the folder you are trying to rename.
I typically redirect the output of handle.exe to a file.
handle >handles.txt
Then I look at handles.txt in a text editor and search for the name of the folder I was trying to rename. It will appear in a section of handles belonging to the process that is keeping the handle to that folder open, and hence preventing it from being renamed. It shows the pid of the offending process, which you can decide how to deal with, in case you need to terminate it.
e.g. Trying to rename myfolder I forgot I had started a service running using pm2 (a process monitor) The output of Handle.exe included the following:
node.exe pid: 12752 DISCO\Stu
40: File (---) C:\Dev\myfolder\service
I fixed this by disabling Quick Access:
See Screenshot:
[
Well before you can run this command you have to have the privileges to do so as overwriting or modifying files from the command line requires admin rights. Once you got that done, enter the following:
ren (path name) (modified name, no quotation marks)
1 copy path of the folder. To do this, hold shift and right-click, you'll see the "copy as path option"
2 open cmd as admin. To do this, press window + X, then A.
3 in the cmd, type "cd C: then paste the path" so it will be, for example, like:
cd C:\Users\abc\Desktop\music
before you press enter, quote the last name; for example:
cd C:\Users\abc\Desktop\"music"
4 Next, type: ren *.present extension *.new extension; For example, from mp3 to exe:
ren *.mp3 *.exe
If no extension was existing, then, for example:
ren *. *.exe
This should work and eliminate the access denied nuisance.
I solved this problem by giving the user who run the batch full right on the directory. It seems the right from a group membership is not sufficient: the user was member of the local group Administrators and I received a "Access denied". After having added the user account in the directory security with full rights, it does the job.
I'm working with an application that was poorly designed. When installed, it creates a .INI file (remember those?) in the C:\Windows folder. In order to get things working correctly in our environment, I don't use that .INI file. Instead, I have separate .INI files in a different location where I can properly management them within the framework of the application. The problem I'm running in to is users not running the application correctly so it picks up this default .INI file that doesn't work in our environment (remember I said the application is poorly designed).
To make sure that my users are running the correct configuration, I need to delete this pesky .INI from the C:\Windows folder. I have .BAT files that manage application launch and updates so I tried to just issue a delete in the .BAT file but it isn't working. When I try to run just the delete command in a command window, I get "Access Denied". I can't rename it or move it either. I would just go touch each computer but don't have the time to get to them all.
I have just spent the last two hours googling to find a solution and the only solutions are to use Windows Explorer which isn't an option. I know it has to be something simple that I haven't been able to find. Ideas?
for /f "usebackq delims=" %A in ("%userprofile%\Desktop\ComputerName.txt") do echo Del \\%A\C$\Windows\file.ini
Computername.txt is one computer per line, names or addresses.
127.0.0.1
I am trying to start the wso2 iot server with the command prompt, to do that i have to execute three .bat files which have the same name and are in different folders, is it possible to start them all in the same command prompt ? and if not how can i execute them in an alternative way ? thanks in advance!
You need to specify the absolute filename of each. OR you could change directory to each and run the batch name.
pushd/popd changes to the directory and back if you don't want to cd.
Remeber to "quote the fullpathtobatchname" if it contains spaces. If you are using start then remember to include a windowtitle as the first quoted parameter if using quoted arguments.
You can do it, only need chance the offsetvalue in your [ESB_HOME]\repository\conf\carbon.xmlto 2 servers so that they are not exposed by the same port. regards
I also have the same problem, when i try to run the second bat I get a pile of errors, and i can no longer access carbon home through the web browser
C:\wso2\wso2esb-5.0.0\tmp\AXIS2-~1.TMP\axis22597661185720064274rampart-1.6.1-wso2v18.mar - The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
C:\wso2\wso2esb-5.0.0\tmp\AXIS2-~1.TMP\axis2545956122453586080addressing-1.6.1-wso2v19.mar - The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
C:\wso2\wso2esb-5.0.0\tmp\javasysmon64130642671302902180.dll - Access is denied.
C:\wso2\wso2esb-5.0.0\tmp\javasysmon65576392292672845032.dll - Access is denied.
Create a new file test.bat, the content is as follows:
echo aa;
and execute it in the dos command line,
test.bat
there are no output in the window. But when I tested it in another computer, it outputs
aa
When I double click the bat file, it always disappeared suddenly even I add a "pause" clause line in the test.bat file. Both the systems are Window XP. Can sb tell me where is the problem, please?
I have checked all the things Mofi suggested, but the problem remains.
Now, I divscover when reboot to the system using another Administrator account. All is fine.
So, whether the problem comes from the registry record of the Windows XP?
See my answer on Iterating over files in directory prepends extra character to filename where I have already explained what to check if batch files are not working as expected.
The environment variables ComSpec, PATHEXT and PATH should be verified by you first. And check also the values of registry key Command Processor as explained in referenced answer. Also Autorun value of key Command Processor is very critical.
Further, start Regedit and check standard value of registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.bat displayed on right side. It should be batfile. Then go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile, open it and navigate to subkey open - command. The standard value is "%1" %*. It could be that your Windows registry is partly corrupt which makes it not possible to run a batch file by double click.
A check for a problem with registry would be opening a command prompt window by running
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
via Run entry in start menu of Windows. Then run your batch file from within the command prompt window.
You should also run from a command prompt window
C:\Windows\System32\chkdsk.exe C: /F
and confirm running the check disk tool of Windows on next boot of Windows. Then restart Windows to let this tool check the file system for errors resulting in 1 or more corrupt files. If an error was really detected in file system, run after Windows finished starting from a command prompt window
C:\Windows\System32\chkdsk.exe C: /F /R
Confirm running this tool once again on next boot of Windows, but this time with read/write tests on all sectors of your hard disk and repairing sectors if that is possible at all. It can take several hours depending on size of drive C: to finish this task.
Added on 2014-09-28:
Anti-virus application
Do you have checked already the configuration of the anti-virus application?
It could be that it blocks the execution of all *.bat files.
Windows System Restore
Do you have already tried to use Windows System Restore for the account on which batch file execution fails and go back to a restore point of a date on which you are sure that batch file execution worked?
If ntuser.dat or ntuser.dat.log (= registry of current user) is partly corrupt or something is misconfigured in Windows registry for this user account, this would be the easiest method to get back a working environment for the account.
Process Monitor Analysis
As execution of batch files does not work only with one account, the reason must be a corrupt or wrong set key or value in registry of this account.
I suggest to download and run free tool Process Monitor from Sysinternals (Microsoft) using first the account on which batch file execution does not work as expected.
The first displayed on start of this tool is a dialog to configure a filter. Select from first list Process Name, let is selected on second list, enter cmd.exe in edit field, and let Include selected in last list. Click next on button Include and then on OK.
Now in main application window of Process Monitor click on last 3 symbols in toolbar to toggle off those features resulting in monitoring only registry and file system accesses. Clear current list by clicking on fifth symbol in toolbar or by pressing Ctrl+X.
Now double click on your sample batch file in Windows Explorer. Then switch batck to Process Monitor, scroll up to beginning and look line by line what happens on executing of a batch file. Perhaps you can see something which you think is not correct.
The column Result should show only SUCCESS and NAME NOT FOUND and rarely NO MORE ENTRIES for registry entries in log. INVALID in column Result is not good. The log can be saved as CSV file with Ctrl+S or by clicking on disk symbol in toolbar.
Exit Process Monitor, logout from this account, logon on other account, start here also Process Monitor, configure the same filter, execute same batch file and save also this log into a CSV file. Compare the 2 CSV files and look for differences (other than time and line number).
Windows Registry Compare
Another method to find out what is different between the 2 accounts resulting in batch file execution not working is comparing the registry hives of those 2 accounts. In both accounts start Regedit and export entire key HKEY_CURRENT_USER to a *.reg file. Compare the two registry exports with a text comparison tool. The new administrator account has definitely less keys and values. Interesting are those blocks with just similar, but not identical lines.
Most interesting are the keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\.bat
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\batfile
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
Some keys from this list can be missing completely. That would be okay as in this case the same key under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is taken into account by Windows. But when a key is missing in account on which batch file execution fails, it should be also missing in the other account, or something is wrong here.
What could be a big and hard to find problem is a registry key which is displayed on viewing the registry tree with Regedit, but when clicking on the key it cannot be read.
I have seen such partly corrupt registry keys already several times and it is very hard to fix such a registry error. This happens for example if an application removes a registry key without removing it also from index table of the registry.
Totally unexpected things happen if a registry key is present in index, but does not exist anymore in registry. For example I fixed once an issue where HKLM\Software\Classes\mailto was in index list, but did not exist anymore in registry. When the user clicked on a mailto link, Windows started creating new emails in Outlook in a loop until Windows run out of resources and user restarted Windows.
Please add # before echo, like this:
#echo aa
#pause
Its working in my Windows7 machine.
I have a batch file which uses gpresult /v and saves the output in a text file and copy that text file to a shared folder. This batch when i run on my local machine works perfectly fine but once i deploy it through SCCM it says can not open file with error code 4. I dont know what is wrong in the file.
the code is Like this:
#echo off
gpresult /v >%computername%.txt
xcopy %computername%.txt \some path
Error 4 is "The system cannot open the file.", as if the path is invalid or the open() fails for some other reason.
Do you know what directory the program is running in (CWD)?
That's where the results of gpresult are going (if the output redirection succeeds).
gpresult is not going to produce meaningful user-level data for the SYSTEM user.
Perhaps you should use gpresult /v scope computer.
Why are you using xcopy when you're only copying one file? xcopy really only has added value (over copy) if you are copying directories.
xcopy's behavior changes depending on how you specify the target. If the target ends with the directory separator (backslash), xcopy treats it like it's a directory. If it doesn't and the target doesn't exist, xcopy asks you what to do, which causes automated processes to pause indefinitely waiting for user input.
SCCM Programs Run as 'NT Authority\SYSTEM'
When SCCM (2007) runs a program, the program doesn't run as a regular user. It runs as the highest privilege user (sort of), SYSTEM.
This account is not a regular account, and many settings and environment variables that exist and are predictable for a regular user are different or do not exist for SYSTEM.
One particularly frustrating "feature" of the SYSTEM account's profile is that it is nestled away under %WINDIR%\System32, and so it is subject to filesystem redirection whenever you refer to anything relative to the profile.
Try this: use psexec -s (sysinternals) to get shell access as the SYSTEM account and run the command in that environment to see how it behaves. This is as close as we can get to an environment like the one SCCM programs run under.
When SCCM runs the command, the CWD will probably be somewhere under %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\CCM\ and may be invoked with the 32-bit version of CMD.EXE.
I have a question in regards to something similar to this. So I have an uninstall bat that runs. Due to the vendors uninstall it causes a force close of the windows explorer UI. So in haste to solve that issue I added a call to open explorer.exe. There is a problem with this as someone pointed out to me. Actually as soon as he said I knew exactly what he was saying and where he was going with his statement. Calling explorer.exe would be fine except that the bat is running under the system context not the user so when explorer is restarted it will start under the guise of the system desktop profile not the user's. I know there is way to still run under the guise of system but to restart explorer under the currently logged in user's profile.