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Lock Any Application With Freeware LockAnExe
Need to lock an application? If you do, then LockAnExe offers a free, simple way to lock application so that no one can run it until it gets unlocked with the program.
How to lock application with LockAnExe
- Browse and select the application by clicking “Open File” button.
- Select “Lock File” and click “Do it”. The original icon of the locked application will be replaced by a white box icon, signaling that it has been locked.
You can lock more than one application. However, the developer doesn’t specify the number limit of the applications that can be locked. I only tried to lock two applications, CCleaner and Auslogics Registry Defrag, and it runs well. Both cannot be run until I unlocked it.
LockAnExe
A feature that I want it to be added is the ability to set a master password for the program so no other user can unlock the programs I have locked. However, since there is no message pops out saying something like “this application has been locked with LockAnExe“, I think no one would know that the application is being locked with LockAnExe and, thus, wouldn’t search for the program within the computer to unlock the locked applications without our permissions.
Another limitation from the program is that you have to remember all the applications you have locked with it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to unlock. You need to browse and select the application again, and click the “Unlock File” to unlock each of the locked applications.
Cannot delete file/folder? Delete undeletable file in Windows explorer with Unlocker
Cannot delete file or folder in Windows explorer of XP, Vista, 2000 or 2003? Is it because the access is denied? Or because Windows cannot read from source file or disk? The source or destination file may be in use? Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use?
Sometimes you just cannot delete files and Windows keeps throwing out error messages without any specific solution. There is no further information on how the access is denied, or why Windows cannot read from the source file, or what application that is using or accessing the file so that it cannot be deleted.
In other words, the file is locked without any clear explanation of what is happening and any clear solution to unlock the file.
If you don’t want to install any software, there are two standard solutions for this.
How to delete undeletable files without installing software…
First option:
- make sure that you have closed all of the running applications.
- open the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del.
- In the “Process” tab, find the “explorer.exe”.
- Right click it and select “End process”.
- Ignore the warning message and click “Yes”.
Second option, if the first doesn’t work, you should restart Windows. They try to delete it again. There should be no problem in deleting the file.
However, would you spend time to restart Windows everytime you find a locked file? What about your current task? Do you have to leave them just to delete a locked file? There are times when you just can’t avoid the necessity of an additional application to make things right in a faster way. In this case, Unlocker would be the perfect answer.
Unlocker doesn’t only let you to delete a locked file without restarting Windows, but it also lets you know which programs that are locking the file. Moreover, it also enables you to rename or move the locked file. All is done right inside your Windows explorer.
How to delete locked file with Unlocker
- Download and install Unlocker.
- Right-click the undeleted file and select Unlocker from the menu.
- If the file is locked by other programs, Unlocker will show you which ones.
- Select the delete option from the drop-down menu.
- Hit “Unlock All” button.
- That’s all. The file is deleted directly.
There is a faster way to do it. You can bypass the necessity to right-click the file everytime you find a locked one by letting Unlocker assistant running in the background. This assistant will automatically launch Unlocker once you close the error message that pops up when you cannot delete a file.
For me, Unlocker has done very well so far. I can delete every locked file without having to restart Windows. However, the maker warns there could be times when you have to restart Windows or even fails in deleting a locked file using Unlocker. I guess it happens once in a blue moon, though.
Another interesting thing you can find from the developer’s site is the list of the alternative programs in case you find Unlocker fails to do a certain deletion job. The alternatives are ranging from Boot Deleter, WhoLockMe, Delete Doctor, Process Explorer, ForceDel, and many others.
Unlocker is a freeware supporting Windows Vista, XP, 2000 and 2003.
Update:
My apologize for having forgotten to explain what to do next in the first option after you take the steps. So, here you are.
The steps you take in the first option above will terminate Windows explorer. After it disappears, you should re-open it again. Here is how to do it:
- Click the “file” menu in Windows Task Manager and select “New Task (Run…)”.
- Type explorer within the drop-down space of the window that pops up afterward and hit the OK button.
Next, look for the file once the Windows explorer appears and try to delete it.
Delete File/Folder Currently In Use by Other Program in Windows
When a file/folder is currently in use by other program or user, it can’t be deleted. Windows locks the file/folder. If you try to delete it, an error message comes up saying that it is being used by another person or program. Unless you unlock the file/folder, you won’t be able to delete it no matter how many times you try. This is where Windows alone can’t help you. To delete it, you need an unlocker.
Boot Deleter is designed to make you possible deleting any locked file or folder through the right-click menu in Windows explorer. Any locked file/folder that you have flagged using this program will be deleted automatically at the next Windows start-up. Boot Deleter is a freeware that works under Windows operating system.
