Volume Lock Request Does Not Release Volume After File Operation

ID: Q234339

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you run a program that improperly uses an NTFS volume lock function call on a computer running Windows NT 4.0, the volume lock may not be removed after the program has finished running.

CAUSE

The DeviceIoControl() function can be used to lock the volume by specifying FSCTL_LOCK_VOLUME as I/O control code. This function may not work properly if it is called after you perform the following file operations:

Open the destination file and do some I/O for that file. Then close the file.

As soon as you close the destination file, rename another file to the destination file by using MoveFileEx().

Utility programs affected with this problem require exclusive access to the disk volume. Those programs may report an error message as if another process is still accessing the volume. For instance, if you run the CHKDSK -F command against a disk volume experiencing this problem, the following error message may be displayed:

The type of the file is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.
Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts?

Disk Administrator may also be affected as well.

The closed file object is not dereferenced if the closed file was specified as the new file for the MoveFileEx() function before the file cache write process completes. Other file operations other than locking a volume work fine. This is an NTFS-specific problem. FAT volumes are not affected by this problem.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service pack, please go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/servicepacks/

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

WORKAROUND

You can run Clearmem.exe to recover from this problem. The Clearmem utility flushes the section used as file cache, thus the file object in question is dereferenced by running Clearmem. This tool is included in the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 resource kit.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00 NT4SP6Fix
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug