Move or delete locked or in-use files with Unlocker - Tutorial 1 - Installing Unlocker

Last updated January 19, 2011 10:50 AM

Unlocker is a powerful and useful tool for the intermediate or advanced computer user. If you've ever encountered a file that Windows could not delete normally, because it was supposedly "in use", this tool allows you to see exactly which program is using the file and then remove the lock, allowing you to delete it.

Installing Unlocker is easy, but care must be taken since the Unlocker installer bundles several other programs which might not be so useful. It's up to you if you install these additional components, but in this tutorial we'll avoid them.

The first step is to download the latest version of Unlocker for your system. You can obtain the latest version from the official download site here. You will need to scroll down about two thirds of the page, and then use the appropriate download link for either 32 bit or 64 bit versions of the software, depending on what version of Windows you are running. We've taken a screenshot of the appropriate download link:-

Once the file is downloaded, double click on it or choose "Open" in your browsers download manager to start the installation process. Windows Vista and Windows 7 users will need to click "Yes" if Windows User Account Control asks for permission to install the program. The following window will then appear:-

Choose your preferred language for the installation, English is selected by default, so simply click on "OK". The following window will then appear:-

Click "Next >". The following window will then be displayed:-

Scroll down to read the license agreement. For now, you will have to accept the terms for the additional toolbars, though you can opt out of them on the next window. Click "I Agree", the following window will then be displayed:-

Here you can choose where on your computer to install Unlocker. The default directory is fine for most users, so simply click "Next >". The following window will then appear:-

The Unlocker installer will offer to download and install either an Ask toolbar or a Crawler toolbar. These toolbars can add additional search functionality to your web browser, but often just clutter up the browsing experience with no real benefit. If you don't want to install the toolbar, be careful to deselect the "Install Crawler Toolbar" option here, before clicking "Next >". The following window will then appear:-

On this page, we need to choose which components to install. We recommend you choose the first three options. The remaining three options are optional components that install either another toolbar or a shopping short-cut. We recommend you deselect them before clicking on "Install".

There will now be a short pause while the files are copied. When the process is complete, the following window will appear:-

The installation is now complete. Click on "Finish". You can now proceed to the next tutorial and start using Unlocker.

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