back in the XP days, I used a software called "Unlocker" just for this problem. It probably still exists, I don't know, because since Windows 7, the easiest way to find out what process locks a file is to open Resource Monitor (Start search: resmon) and on the CPU tab, using the "Associated handles" list, you can search for the file name and see the process in question (and kill it).

So yeah, Resource Monitor is a useful tool on Windows.

[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 42 points 7 hours ago (4 children)

There's a collection of free little utilities called Microsoft PowerToys, including the file unlocker thing. Why would they not include these into base kit Windows is beyond me.

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 17 points 6 hours ago (3 children)

not including PowerToys inside basic package is a fucking choice. Win11 is literally unusable without it in many aspects.

[–] TempermentalAnomaly@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Sysinternals is also a great tool. Not as vital for the average user though.

[–] TeddE@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I suspect it's in line with big tech policies to coddle end users instead of educating or trusting them. I assert (particularly since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007) that learned helplessness is built into the game plan.

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

My dad used to say Apple is evil exactly because of that - they make stuff for people who want fancy shit but have little to no interest in actual tech.

[–] AndyMFK@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I would argue windows 11 is pretty much unusable regardless

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

LTSC is probably usable but if the base is so broken - i wonder if LTSC is still as good as Win10 LTSC.

[–] Redex68@lemmy.world 8 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I feel like it's a testing ground for new features for them, but not sure why some aren't yet integrated. Best guess: the PowerToys team has less red tape and checks to go through than the Windows team to allow for faster iteration, but that means that integrating the features wouldn't be just the click of a button since they'd have to adapt it to fit the Windows style. But this is just a wild guess.

[–] some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I think you're right on the money. There seems to be a component of enticing power users to stick with Windows as well. The app is still "in beta" despite the first release being in 1996 (!). I had to look that up, because I'd only heard about it in the early windows 10 days.

[–] Deebster@infosec.pub 1 points 17 minutes ago

The first version of PowerToys was released for Windows 95 on 17 November, 1996 as a download on Microsoft's FTP server at the time.

Well wadaya knows?

I like that it wasn't a proper installed thing, just a bunch of executables in a zip file.

[–] kuneho@lemmy.world 10 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

Why would they not include these into base kit Windows is beyond me.

Some of them felt a bit buggy when I last time used Windows, maybe they aren't fully ready to ship (like Samsung's Good Lock apps?). And most features didn't do quite what I imagined it to do, but that's probably a "me problem".

[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 8 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

That's a fair point, but, let's be honest, the built in Windows features often have the same issues

[–] DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Not recently copilot and AI implementation has made the OS beyond shitty recently and a lot of broken shit. That's why I need to move to Linux they're basically sinking their ship with broken AI code.

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

The telemetry is overbearing too lately.

[–] DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Bill Gates secret hotline.

[–] BilSabab@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

probably.

[–] kamen@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

Because they want to include things with ads now.