When running an application, it will access required files from the system. If an application tries to access a file that is currently in use by another process, you get this error message.
The error message may pop up during application installation, code compilation, or when running an app. Another common instance where you might see this error message is when starting a website through IIS.
To fix this, you need to close the process that is using the file. However, the problem is finding the process. So, you’re able to first try locating and ending the process using the Resource monitor.
Check Using Resource Monitor
When the error message pops up, it might also give you the name of the file that is in use by another process. If it does, you can use a Windows built-in utility named Resource Monitor to check the process that is using the file.
To check the process using a resource monitor,
Close Related Process/Application
The error message may not always display the file name. You might find it difficult to locate the app that is using the file. So, try closing any unnecessary application that could cause conflicts with the process that you are trying to run.
Run Application/Process as Admin
Running an application as an admin allows the process to have access to resources that were not available previously. If possible tryrunning the application as adminand check if the error still pops up.
If that does not work, try running the application in high-priority mode. This will also allow the system toallocate more resources to the applicationwhich might fix the issue. To do this,
Reinstall Application in Safe Mode
You might also get an error message when trying to install an application. According to most users in Q/A forums, the error message pops up when installing games such as Roblox and Escape from Tarkov.
They’ve also reported that installing the game insafe modewith networking fixed the issue for them.
Disable Antivirus and Windows Defender
Application or a Process may run into issues when trying to access a file that is currently being scanned through Windows Defender or any other antivirus application. Accessing file might take a long time or might even give you an error message that says the file is in use by another process.
To make sure that this is not the case, try disabling any threat protection on your system. Todisable Windows Defender, follow these steps.
Now try running the process that was causing the issue to see if it can access the file. Once the process completes its execution,make sure that you enable Windows Defender/antivirus.
Reset Network
Several users in Q/A forums have also reported that resetting the network fixed the issue for them. By resetting the network, it reverts all network settings to its default values.
To reset the network,
Fixes for IIS Manager
The issue also occurs when trying to start a website through IIS. In such cases, here are some things that you can try.
Close Processes Using Conflicting Ports
By default, the IIS (Internet Information Service) uses port 80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS requests. If there is an application in your system that is also using the same port, you will get the error message when you start the default website.
To fix this, you either need to close the process that is using this port or change the port used for communication in IIS. First, let’s try closing the process that is using port 80 or 443.
Change IIS Default Port
If that does not work or if you cannot stop the process that is using the port, try using another port to host the website from IIS.
Use Default HTTP Address
For IIS to use the default address, you need to change a few registry values. Changing the wrong settings in the registry could cause system instability and sometimes may even cause more problems than before. So ensure that youback up the registryfirst.
