Microsoft KB Archive/241928

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BUG: Error 1376 Using RemoveFile Table with Windows Installer

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Q241928

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows Installer, versions 1.0, 1.1
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

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SYMPTOMS
The following error appears during the installation of a product, using Microsoft Windows Installer:

Error 1376. Another application has exclusive access to the file 'C:\Winnt\MyFile.txt', which is preventing the Installer from determining whether this file needs to be removed or replaced. If you can, please shut down all other applications, then click Retry.

CAUSE
During the installation, Windows Installer is not able to remove the file MyFile.txt because it is in use by another program.

RESOLUTION
Instruct users to close all applications before installing the application.

STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
A developer may expect the installer program to detect that the file is in use by a specific application and report to the user which is the offending application and then instruct the user to close the offending application before continuing the installation process. The Windows Installer program detects only EXE and DLL modules in this way. It reports the error if any other type of file is opened on the target computer during the installation process.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

 * 1) Create a file with a .txt extension on your computer, for example, MyFile.txt.
 * 2) Double-click the file to open it in Notepad.
 * 3) Open a working Windows Installer database, for example, MyDatabase.msi.
 * 4) Add a record to the RemoveFile table that refers to MyFile.txt and associate it with a component that will be installed.
 * 5) Install MyDatabase.msi.