I executed an SSIS package using SSDT and Visual Studio. When I try to execute another package I get an error saying "The process cannot access the file XXXX.ispac because it is being used by another process". I have tried rebooting but that is a pain in the behind. How can I work around this error?
While developing an SSIS package I got the error “The process cannot access the file ‘.ispac’ because it is being used by another process”*.
Tried to close SSDT and run it again but, we still got the same error while compiling. Then, after searching over internet, we got the solution:
Solution :
Go to Task Manager–> Details Tab.
Locate the process “DtsDebugHost.exe“.
Kill this process.
There might be multiple instances of this process. Kill all of them.
After doing this, I tried to compile the package again and it was successful.
You might check your patch level. I saw this much more frequently with the 2015 release of SSDT but hasn't bit me too often since then.
Finding and killing a process
Sysinternals has an excellent tool called Process Explorer. It's free, doesn't require an install and helps you see what all is happening on your computer. In this case, you want to find the process that has its grubby finger on your file (MyProject.ispac) and then kill it.
https://helpcenter.gsx.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015880627-How-to-Identify-which-Windows-Process-is-Locking-a-File-or-Folder
A different approach that doesn't require getting Process Explorer running is to change your build from Development to Release (and back again).
Chicken Sandwich No Pickles asks via comments
How can I convert from Development to Release?
In your tool bar, click where you see Development in the dropdown (or right click the solution in Solution Explorer)
In Configuration manager, you may/may not have a listing available under Configuration. Earlier versions of SSIS projects had dev/release configurations predefined but it looks like newer ones do not. If you do not have another option, make one via <New...>
Copy the values from the Development configuration et voilà!
Now when you debug, ProjectFolder/bin/Release will exist and the dtsdebughost.exe will latch onto that file and release the pointers to ProjectFolder/bin/Development/Project.ispac
Here's a simple script you can run in powershell to kill all ssis debug process "DtsDebugHost.exe" and unlock the ispac file.
unlock_ispac.ps1
# if ssis error with 'The process cannot access the file ‘.ispac'
# run this file in powershell
get-process | foreach {
$pName = $_
if($pName.Name -eq "DtsDebugHost") {
$pName.Kill()
}
}
During developement of my media center plugin (which has a few custom build steps to gac stuff and such) msvsmon has a rather annoying behaviour.
First compilation usually goes well, but subsequent compilations complain about myplugin.pdb being locked
Error 1 Unexpected error creating debug information file 'C:\Users\sam\source\myfile.PDB' -- 'C:\Users\sam\source\obj\Debug\myfile.pdb: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
If I exit VS and nuke the object directory, I am able to compile again. Also, if I kill off msvsmon.exe I am able to compile again (but can not debug)
Has anyone seen this error? Are there any workarounds?
I already disabled live semantic errors, just in case.
A simple workaround : You can often rename a locked file even if it can't be deleted, so just rename the locked pdb to .pdb_ or something. You don't have to restart the IDE then
I had the same issue today with GAC-ing some assemblies and referencing them from my StartUp project.
My solution was to edit my StartUp project, and delete the GAC reference to the assembly, and re-add the assembly as a project reference. This worked just fine for me, but is not the ideal solution...
I'm unable to debug a WinForms C# application using the released version of Visual Studio 2010 Prof.
I get the following error message after the second debugging run.
Error 9 Unable to copy file "obj\x86\Debug\Arrowgrass Reports.exe" to "bin\Debug\Arrowgrass Reports.exe". The process cannot access the file 'bin\Debug\Arrowgrass Reports.exe' because it is being used by another process.
I've tried a pre-build script to attempt to delete this file, but it's locked by Visual Studio.
There are a few references to this on the net so it is a know problem. Does anyone have a hotfix or effective work-around?
I have found this issue very easy to reproduce, and the fix for me is a variation on Richard Fors' answer. If I have a UserControl open in the designer, run the debugger, and then edit the UserControl, the subsequent rebuild will fail. If I close the UserControl before running the debugger I never get this error, so I just make sure to close the designer window before hitting F5.
As of October 2012, I still have that issue so the VS 2010 SP1 didn't solve the problem. What I did, and worked consistently, was disabling the hosting process in the projects.
To disable the hosting process:
. Open a project in Visual Studio.
. On the Project menu, click Properties.
. Click the Debug tab.
. Clear the Enable the Visual Studio hosting process check box.
Source:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms185330(v=vs.100).aspx
You can try to kill the vshost.exe process:
taskkill /F /IM "Arrowgrass Reports.vshosts.exe"
You might also be lucky and simply be able to move the file in question. Moving the file can be done by adding the following lines of code to the pre-build event of your project:
if exist "$(TargetPath).locked" del "$(TargetPath).locked"
if exist "$(TargetPath)" if not exist "$(TargetPath).locked" move "$(TargetPath)" "$(TargetPath).locked"
Disabling windows search did not fix for me. However disabling Antivirus did (our Antivirus is Symantec Endpoint Protection 11)
As such, I was able to fix this for myself by changing the Debug settings in the project to point the working folder to a path on the C: drive, and then excepting that path from the antivirus auto-protect scan settings.
I hope this helps someone.
I posted this answer in a similar question but figured I'd also say it here:
Alright... this might sound pretty crazy.
I've had this problem in VS2010 for the last couple of years. The workaround mentioned here works for me, but a lot of times I forgot to close all my forms/usercontrols first.
I've discovered that merely going to view the open files via:
Computer Management (compmgmt.msc)->Shared Folders->Open Files
will "Free up" whichever file is being locked. Very strange, but it works for me!
In my case, I did Project Properties-->Security Tab-->Uncheck Click-Once security settings (If it is checked). It worked for me. In my project, it was showing this error for a C++ dll being used in my C# project.
The condition described can also be caused by the offending DLL or EXE referencing itself; in which case the Process Explorer test described previously never returns a match (e.g. it's not running). This unexpected situation seems to be caused during some sequence of operations in VS2010 (and likely all previous versions) which insidiously adds the reference behind the scenes. The specific cause of this hasn't been tracked down (or resolved that I know of). To check for, and resolve this error simply make sure the offending DLL or EXE is not listed as a reference to itself.
Got the error ("The process cannot access the file … because it is being used by another process") when I modified the (Visual Studio 2010 C# Express with SP1) solution from two large (10 source files, ~500 lines per file) projects with one referencing the other, to lots (6) of smaller projects with lots of projects referencing other projects.
The references were to the dll- and exe files (the Debug versions of them), NOT to the projects even though the projects were in the same solution.
I then learned that references should be to projects, not files, for F12 to work properly. So I modified the references. That made F12 work (jump to the source file instead of some auto-generated interface description), and at the same time the "cannot access file" error during build disappeared.
I only got the "cannot access file" error when doing Release builds. The references were to the Debug versions of exe/dll's. I suspect that this mixing is what triggers the bug in VS.
I encountered this issue when developing windows services. I found out that it happens when the service is running. Thus, you only need to stop the service (from the services.msc console) and you're good to go !
Hope this helps.
Tidjani.
Check Task Manager for the specified process and End the process explicitly. This solution worked for me.
I cant' write to a comment since not at 50 points but for me I excluded my project folder in ESET Enpoint Security ver 5. Seems like it blocked/hogged some files. My Error did not state which exe or file was in use so it took a long time to finally get to what JoeC said about Antivirus and tried it. Seems to be working now (Visual Studio 2010 SP1)
Closing recently changed User Controls solved the problem in my scenario. Hope this will help somebody out there.
Looks like this issue has (finally!) been fixed in the VS2010 SP1
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=75568aa6-8107-475d-948a-ef22627e57a5&displaylang=en
Please try uninstalling Windows Live SYNC. Does it still happen?
I think I just found the culprit and the solution.
Go to services and stop & disable the "windows search" service.
That solved the problem for me now.
For me the solution was to change the startup project to a dll (problem only occurs in debug mode when having an application as the startup project). If your solution contains several projects (and it will, and it will contain a .dll, else you would not get the problem), switch to that .dll, no .vshost.exe, no problem.
Also, killing .vshost.exe did not work for me, since immediately after starting again, it had locked the .dll.
Also, make sure to have your references clean, especially in more complex projects, and also prefer project references to assembly references, and so on. I suppose bad references (circular and similar) are bound to cause problems, at least so I have read.
A short article by me on this problem (and my solution)
How to "clean up" your references in a solution
Adding the following to the Pre-build event of the shared dll worked for me:
if exist "$(TargetPath).locked*" del "$(TargetPath).locked*"
set exitprebuildfor$(ProjectName)=
for /l %%a in (1,1,10) do (
if defined exitprebuildfor$(ProjectName) goto :ok
if not exist "$(TargetPath).locked%%a" if exist "$(TargetPath)" move "$(TargetPath)" "$(TargetPath).locked%%a" & set exitprebuildfor$(ProjectName)=1)
:ok
set exitprebuildfor$(ProjectName)=
It's based on the solution given here but instead of just renaming the dll to .locked it keeps trying to rename it to .locked1, locked2. Using 10 I usually run into the problem once a day, but ant value can be used.
Simply make a copy of the whole project and run project from the new copy.... it will work fine.
But you will have to end process of the debug somehow in-order to delete the older project.
Stop IIS service and try building it again or if you can afford to restart your pc, give it a try. Worked for me both ways.
Cheers
My problem was that Outlook 2010 (outlook.exe) was using the same port as my ASP.NET MVC project with IIS express.
Solution: close outlook.exe, run your solution and open outlook again (so that it uses another port).
Hopefully this helps somebody, because I received the same error message as described in this topic.
Try deleting .exe file in debug or release folder (whatever you working on)
Windows will prompt that the process X has opened this and you can't delete it
after that go to task manager and in details tab end task X process
Delete obj file.And stop your service and Restart again.Then you may solve the problem
The best solution for me was to move my project files out of My Documents - which is on a server managed by the IT department - and locate them locally on my C drive. Also working: unchecking the "Enable the Visual Studio hosting process" checkbox, as stated by other people.
If you are working on a C# project which is using reference of C DLL, then you can eliminate the error by checking the Allow unsafe code check box. I know I have not used pointers in my C# project but I was using some bitwise operator in C#. May be these C-like features morphed it as 'Unsafe' code.
What worked for me was removing "read only" status on the bin folder. Once I did that, it has worked ever since.
I've had this error when the project is on a remote share (like, if your $env:homepath is helpfully redirected by your IT department to a network share). Make sure your project is resident on a local drive.
My problem started after creating a custom control and drag and drop it to the toolbox palette for use it in design forms. First appeared a warning saying that there was a redundance between the custom control source file (.cs) and the projects executable (.exe). On executing/debugging appeared the error: unable to access the (.exe) because it's being used (and it was true).
A literally removed the whole source code regarding the custom control and last problem never stopped, until I checked out the references and it was referencing itself in order to be "able to" get the former custom control. I removed the reference and done!!
So: just check the references and remove the self-reference to the project.
Delete your Bin folder and run the application.
This worked for me. :)
Simply turn off Visual Studio hosting in debug, run the project and again re on it and run project.
Open a project in Visual Studio.
. On the Project menu, click Properties.
. Click the Debug tab.
. Clear the Enable the Visual Studio hosting process check box
For Windows Project
The Visual Studio hosting process can hold the executable file pointer. To stop the host instance, open the Project properties and then go to Debug tab. Now uncheck the Enable the Visual Studio hosting Process option and then check the checkbox again to debug.
For web project
The IIS can hold the file pointer. Restarting the IIS can solve the issue.
I have a solution in Visual Studio that is comprised of 5 projects. The projects build to assemblies (.dll). I have the output path of each project set to \my-web-server\wwwroot\bin, which works fine on one project. In the properties for all of my projects, I have the output path set to the same directory, but when I try building all but one of the projects, I get the error:
Unable to copy file "obj\Release\Index.dll" to "\my-web-server\wwwroot\bin\Index.dll". Access to the path '\my-web-server\wwwroot\bin\Index.dll' is denied.
I assume it could be an issue with permissions, because my organization keeps things locked down, but I have no control over granting permissions. Any help in the right direction is much appreciated.
It must've been something silly. I deleted the .dll manually, then rebuilt. Looks like everything's working normally. Thanks.
The solution for me was to delete everything in bin and obj folders in every project. Just ran this powershell script as described here.
I had the same issue. A copy of Visual Studio (devenv.exe) was still running invisible in the background keeping the particular dll locked.
Delete all DLLs from the bin folder and build the solution.
just had the same issue, built a new project/solution, got it all working and then added to TFS.
Unfortunately I did not clean the build before adding and this meant some files that should not have been under source control were and were then read only(not checked out).
Manually deleting the files before rebuilding fixed the issue.
Most likely a program is running using that library.
This happens to me when running something to debug, and I forget to close it (not attached to IDE debugger).
And since this looks like a website, it is potentially due to the website being hosted from the development build folder, and someone is accessing it.
Similar to what Aequitarum said, it's mostly likely a locked file because it's in use. Since you have multiple projects, you mostly likely have references between them. And since you have all the projects outputting to the same folder any of the referenced projects will most likely get copied more than once if you have those files set to be deployed in the child project. (In a C# web application, you can view the properties of the reference and look at the "Copy Local" property.) And if you have the MsBuild project set to use multiple processors for the build, two child projects are both trying to copy the file at approximately the same time and one is erring out.
It's a very unique situation, but it is possible.
Working solution
Just go to Task Manager and search Detail (if its Win10) and search with your application name (for easy search just look at your windows user id wise)
And right click shows properties. just give the permission like Administrator access.
That's all its working fine for me. ( I was struggling for 1 week and its killed more my time)
It looks like WSearch Service locks up the files and does not release them. I disabled the service on WINDOWS 10 and was able to rebuild the solution.
I just added xUnit to our test project (for the Asserts, we're still using MSTest as the framework) and immediately the test runs refused to execute any of the tests. This is the error message:
Failed to queue test run '{ .... }'
Test run deployment issue: The
location of the file or directory
'...xUnit.dll' is not trusted.
It took me a few tries to find the answer in Google, so I'm putting it here in case anyone else runs into the same problem. A detailed description can be found at this blog posting.
Basically, the fix invovles right-clicking on the dll file (xunit.dll for example) in Windows Explorer, going to Properties, and clicking "Unblock" at the bottom of the tab next to the 'Security' text. It seems that Vista / Windows 2008 will automatically mark assemblies that come from other machines or the internet as unsafe.
As a couple commenters have mentioned, you may also need to restart Visual Studio for this to take effect.
In my team we had the same problem.
Your solution didn't work, but this post by Charles Sterling did help.
We used the following line:
caspol -machine -addgroup 1 -url file://\\server/share/* FullTrust -name DevShare
After having this issue and burning hours trying to get "Unblock" to stick longer than a few minutes and/or figuring out caspol to no avail, I finally found a little tidbit via Google that the assemblies will be blocked again the next time you build or rebuild the project, since they're re-copied from their original source location. (I guess I never noticed that this happened before with references assemblies, but anyway...)
My fix for this was the following:
Copy all the needed DLLs to another
spot for safe-keeping
Remove the
references in Visual Studio
Physically delete the DLLs in the
bin folder
Unblock the DLLs
individually in the spot where they
were copied off
Add the references
back in Visual Studio from the
holding spot
Every subsequent build or rebuild worked fine afterward.
Running on an XP machine (even with .NET 3.5 SP1 installed) I was not able to get any of the other solutions listed here to work.
However working from the same post by Charles Sterling that Davy Landman references, I finally succeeded with this variation:
Run the .NET 2.0 Configuration tool (Settings... Control Panel... Administrative Tools... .NET Framework 2.0 Configuration)
Click down to "My Computer ... Runtime Security Policy ... Machine ... Code Groups ... All_Code"
Create a new code group with membership condition of "Zone"="Local Intranet" and assign the permission set "FullTrust"
Restart Visual Studio
After these steps I am able to run tests, including after restarts and rebuilds.
EDIT: as described in this answer, you may need to install the .NET SDK (which is different from the .NET framework) in order to have the .NET 2.0 Configuration tool on your system.
I had the same problem with moq. But would not 'unblock'. Every time I unblocked it, it was still blocked!?!?
I had to unblock the original zip file I downloaded. Then copy the DLL from the zip file again. It work after that.
It may seem really obvious now, but when I was clicking unblock the file was set as read-only.
Only after un-checking that attribute, applying, then selecting unblock did I actually get this working.
Give that a go.
:)
PS: I also deleted all the old dll's in my bin folder, just to make sure Visual Studio wasn't picking up the old one.
I had the same problem with downloaded DLLs blocked by Vista.
You need Administrator rights to get the "Unblock" button on the file's Properties.
I simply replaced the DLLs with the latest version from source control (TFS) where I had committed them before.
Go to file
Right click and select Properties
On the first Register click on Allow
I also tried opening the file in notepad++ and renaming it.
Slightly different approach, but it worked for me. The local file system then think it comes from the same machine.
It's not just the moq.dll that needs to be unblocked. The latest zip file includes an moq.xml and moq.pdb file - referencing the dll copies these other two files to the bin folders as well. If all three have not been unblocked the tests won't run, I found.