How to replace file currently in use?

The file-In-Use Replace Utility is a command-line tool that performs on-the-fly replacement of files currently in use by the operating system. You must be a member of the Administrators group to use this tool. InUse is primarily used to replace locked operating system files. After running the tool, the file specified is not replaced until the system is restarted. During restart, the system moves the file immediately after AUTOCHK is run, but before creating any paging files. This tool is usefulfor troubleshooting purposes, where you might need to replace an individual file on your computer instead of an entire set of files.

It is one of the Windows 2000/NT Server Resource Kit Support Tools, but Microsoft has made it available for freedownload.

The source for this answer and the free file download link may be found at:

http://windows.about.com/library/tips/bltip391.htm

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Maxwell

Or

How to Replace In-Use Windows NT System Files:

Microsoft article Q184408:

SUMMARY:
This article describes how to replace system files that are in use by using the Mv.exe tool included with the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q184408

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Maxwell

From what you are saying, you may have a catch 22 situation.
All your users are accessing this file once they start up their system right? So even if one user close his/her file handle, all the other users are still locking it.

Now, only an admin ID can force everyone to close the file from the server end. And you are correct in not letting users have admin rights.

Hence the vicious loop. Theer are 2 workarounds that I can think of, use the net file command to list out the file IDs into a text file and write a batch to close all the files. An earlier thread on the net command can be found here

https://www.techrepublic.com/forumqa/thread_detail.jhtml?thread_id=94803

The other simplest solution will be to copy the scr from using autoexec, that way the file on the server won't be locked and you can update it as needed. The problem is, some people don't logout/reboot their PCs as often as administrators want them to ;p and it won't take effect until they reboot. So you'll haveto email them and tell them to reboot their PCs.

From what you are saying, you may have a catch 22 situation.
All your users are accessing this file once they start up their system right? So even if one user close his/her file handle, all the other users are still locking it.

Now, only an admin ID can force everyone to close the file from the server end. And you are correct in not letting users have admin rights.

Hence the vicious loop. Theer are 2 workarounds that I can think of, use the net file command to list out the file IDs into a text file and write a batch to close all the files. An earlier thread on the net command can be found here

https://www.techrepublic.com/forumqa/thread_detail.jhtml?thread_id=94803

The other simplest solution will be to copy the scr from using autoexec, that way the file on the server won't be locked and you can update it as needed. The problem is, some people don't logout/reboot their PCs as often as administrators want them to ;p and it won't take effect until they reboot. So you'll haveto email them and tell them to reboot their PCs.

Not prob.

I created a script that you can use to list the file or user you want to kick and kick them automatically. Beats having to close the files from server manager 1 at a time.

---copy the below into a cmd file, i used kick.cmd---

@echo off
if NOT "%1"=="" goto BEGIN
:SYNTAX
@echo Missing Parameter. Syntax is:
@echo Kick [Filename or Username]
goto END
:BEGIN
net file | find "%1" > c:\kick.txt
for /F "tokens=1" %%i in (c:\kick.txt) do net file /close %%i
goto END
:END

Unfortunately, the net file command only works on the system it is being run on :(

You can however setup remote console software on the server.