Visual Studio locks output file on build

user_224672 0
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I have a simple WinForms solution in VS 2010. Whenever I build it, output file (bin\debug\app.exe) ends up locked, and subsequent builds fail with a message like "The process cannot access the file 'bin\Debug\app.exe' because it is being used by another process." The only way to build the project is to restart VS after every build, which is very awkward.

I have found this old blog post http://blogs.geekdojo.net/brian/archive/2006/02/17/VS2005FileLocking.aspx - it seems that the problem is really old. Does anyone know what is happening here, or at least some workaround?

Update

I don't actually run the file. Locking happens after build, not after debug (i.e. start VS - build - build - fail!) And I tried turning antivirus off. It doesn't help.

Update 2

Process Explorer shows devenv.exe having loaded the file (in DLLs, not in Handles). It seems like some glitch during build prevented the unloading, but the (first) build completes without any messages other then "1 succeeded, o failed"/

visual-studio
16 Answers

I've seen this on either a greedy virus scanning software, or if app.exe isn't shutting down properly. Make sure the process isn't still running.

user_1011970

What about virus scanners on your machine? Can you see any processes that are holding handles to your file (use Process Explorer to find out)?

Maybe there is "app.exe" visible in your process list, i.e the last version you debugged is still running? When you develop applications which have multiple threads, this may happen if you don't join all of them.

user_2395990

I had the same problem and I found out, that VS only locks the exe when I opened a Form or UserControl in VS before building. The solution was quite easy, I just had to close any Form/UserControl before I build the solution and it worked.

user_907450

Closing visual studio, reopening, and reloading the most recent solution works around the problem for me. (Visual Studio 2013 Ultimate)

user_797370

I managed to fix this problem by disabling McAfee LiveSafe real time scanning. My .exe file would lock up like the OP describes and I would have no way to remove the file, which meant I could not build the solution. After disabling the McAfee feature the problem was gone.

Then I of course went on to fully uninstall McAfee, which was only installed because my PC is new and it came with the program already installed.

user_87291080

I have created a new blank solution and added all the old files to it. This somehow solved the problem.

user_2246720
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