Article ID: 216368
Article Last Modified on 12/25/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Learning Edition
- Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition
- Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Professional Edition
- Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition
- Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Enterprise Edition
- Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition
This article was previously published under Q216368
SYMPTOMS
When running a setup that was created by the Visual Basic Setup Wizard or Package and Deployment Wizard (PDW), the following error message is generated:
where <file path and name> is the name of the file, including the complete path, that Setup is attempting to copy.
CAUSE
Another open program is using the specified file. In some cases, the file may be in use by the operating system.
RESOLUTION
Follow these steps to resolve the problem:
- Verify that the file specified in the error message is redistributable. If the file is not listed as being redistributable, rebuild the distribution removing that file from the setup files.
In Visual Basic 5.0, check the files License.txt and Redist.txt, both of which are located in the "Program files\DevStudio\VB" folder.
In Visual Basic 6.0, check the files Eula.txt in the "Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Setup\1033" folder and Redist.txt in the "Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio" folder. - If the file is redistributable, make certain that the user closes all open programs before installing the application. Booting Win9x in Safe Mode prevents most applications from loading automatically at startup, as does holding down the SHIFT key for the duration of the boot. Neither method disables anti-virus software, screen savers, and so forth, so they must be shut down manually if they load the problem DLL.
To determine which program is using the file, use a utility such as DLLView for Windows 9x or Process Explorer (formerly HandleEx) for Windows NT/Windows 2000. Both utilities are available as free downloads from a third-party Web site at the following address: If all open programs are closed, and the user still receives the error message, the file may be in use by the operating system. In this case, the following alternatives are available to work around the error message:
- Users can click Ignore in response to the error message. When they click Ignore, they will receive the same message again with the following additional information: If they click Yes, Setup continues installing the remaining files, and the application will often run properly without replacing the file.
- If a version of the file that is compatible with the application is already on the user's target system, you can remove the file from the file you distribute to avoid the message altogether. See the MORE INFORMATION section later in this article for details concerning the files that most commonly cause this error message.
- You can customize the Setup Toolkit project (Setup1.vbp). Microsoft Technical Support does not provide support for modifying the Setup Toolkit project, but the source code is available for customization. For more information, search on the phrase "setup toolkit project" in "Books Online" for Visual Basic 5.0 or the "MSDN Library Visual Studio 6.0."
For additional information about programmatically replacing files that are in use, please refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:140570 HOWTO: Moving Files That Are Currently in Use
- You may want to consider using a third-party Setup program.
MORE INFORMATION
This error occurs most frequently when developers distribute the following files:
Comctl32.dll (Not redistributable)
Comdlg32.dll (Not redistributable)
Mfc42.dll
Msvcrt.dll
Msvcrt20.dll
Msvcrt40.dll
This error has also been reported less frequently with the following files:
Mfc40.dll
Msvcirt.dll
NOTE: Do not redistribute Comctl32.dll or Comdlg32.dll. If you must update Comctl32.dll, download 401comupd.exe from the following Microsoft Web site:
The following tables contain information about the files listed above, including which operating systems install them and which operating systems require them.
File Operating File File File
Name System Installed? In Use? Version
--------------------------------------------------------------
Mfc40.dll Windows 95 No No
Windows 95b Yes No 4.1.6139
Windows 98 Yes No 4.1.6139
NT 4.0 Yes No 4.1.6139
Mfc42.dll Windows 95 No No
Windows 95b No No
Windows 98 Yes No 4.21.7325
NT 4.0 Yes No 4.2.6068
Msvcirt.dll Windows 95 No No
Windows 95b No No
Windows 98 Yes No 4.20.6164
NT 4.0 Yes No 4.20.6201
Msvcrt.dll Windows 95 No No
Windows 95b No No
Windows 98 Yes Yes 5.00.7128
NT 4.0 Yes Yes 4.20.6201
Msvcrt20.dll Windows 95 Yes No 2.11.000
Windows 95b Yes No 2.11.000
Windows 98 Yes No 2.11.000
NT 4.0 Yes No 2.11.000
Msvcrt40.dll Windows 95 No No
Windows 95b Yes No 4.10.6038
Windows 98 Yes No 4.10.6038
NT 4.0 Yes No 4.20
Keywords: kbappsetup kbgrpdsvb kbprb kbvbp kbvbp500 kbvbp600 kbwizard KB216368
