BUG: Cannot Disconnect From Network Drive After Running Setup

• Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Edition, version 2.0, 4.0, 4.1

SYMPTOMS

The following error message may be generated when disconnecting from a network drive after running SETUP.EXE:

    The device is being accessed by an active process.

    More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2404.

CAUSE

SETUP.EXE is a 16-bit Windows-based application that spawns VCSETUP.EXE, a 32-bit Windows-based application. It was included so that error checking could be done if it was running under 16-bit Windows, or under a different processor under Windows NT.

To run a 16-bit application under Windows NT, the Windows-on-Windows (WOW) layer is used. Once WOW, a 32-bit Windows NT-based application, is started, it maintains a current directory. If the current directory is the network drive, you can get the previous error message after setup has finished executing.

RESOLUTION

You can disconnect from the network by either running another 16-bit application that changes WOW's current directory, or by closing down WOW, using PVIEW.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

The following information can be found by typing NET HELPMSG 2404:

• The device is being accessed by an active process.

  EXPLANATION

• The drive letter you specified is the current drive of a session. You tried to delete a drive redirection (x:) while it is in use, possibly as your current drive.

  ACTION

  Be sure the drive you are trying to delete is not the current drive in any of your sessions.