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Question

disable file locking, reloaded

Nov 18, 2012 10:09PM PST

Is there a way to disable file locking, for windows xp or 7? Not on an individual file, but system wide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_locking

I am willing to risk the "interceding update problem"
I don't want to hear about why I shouldn't. Please only helpful replies toward achieving the disablement of file locking. I would rather have no replies, than unhelpful ones.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Well, at least Win98 had this
Nov 19, 2012 3:38AM PST
http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/218/

Configure New File Sharing and Locking Semantics (Windows 95/98/Me)
This setting controls the file locking mechanisms of Windows, disable this setting only if you are currently experiencing problems with specific applications.

System Key: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]
Value Name: SoftCompatMode
Data Type: REG_BINARY (Binary Value)
Value Data: (00 00 00 00 = disabled, 01 00 00 00 = enabled)
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Part of the reason it was possible was it was on FAT
Nov 19, 2012 3:56AM PST

That version was well, derided as not being a real OS because it sat on DOS which if you recall was not considered an OS by the piled higher and deeper crowd. Much has changed over the years and maybe they need to re-consider 98!
Bob

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More or less
Nov 19, 2012 3:59AM PST

support.microsoft.com/kb/165503 says (for Windows 95):
"This option alters the internal rules for file Sharing sharing and locking on hard disks, governing whether certain processes can have access to open files in certain share modes that guarantee a file will not be modified. This option should be checked only in the rare case that an MS-DOS-based application has problems sharing under Windows 95. This sets SoftCompatMode=0 in the registry.

So it was for "certain processes" and "certain files". And since MS-DOS went away with Windows 2000 and XP I think it's gone forever.

Kees

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Answer
A tool I use. Process Explorer.
Nov 19, 2012 4:21AM PST