I´ve initially thought it could be a DOSBox related problem but it is not. Now I found that affected are in fact .exe files for DOS also outside the DOSBox mounted directory (but not files for Windows) and that I cannot rename the file by using context menu, but it works with F2. I also cannot delete the file by pressing delete key, but drag and drop to the bin works. If I use context menu or press delete key, the file become immediately locked and I cannot use F2 for renaming or drag and drop to the bin until the next restart. Strange, but I think I can live with that.

never thought about antivirus tools?

Of course. I have AntiVir Personal Edition installed, updated and AVGuard (a background on-access scanner) still active. On demand scan of the whole harddrive also revealed nothing.

Might be the anti-virus software -- every time Windows touches an .exe,
your antivirus software grabs the handle and tests for viruses..
locking the file in the process.
(It might also be your file system NTFS/other?)

taiken7 wrote:

Might be the anti-virus software -- every time Windows touches an .exe, your antivirus software grabs the handle and tests for v […]
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Might be the anti-virus software -- every time Windows touches an .exe,
your antivirus software grabs the handle and tests for viruses..
locking the file in the process.
(It might also be your file system NTFS/other?)

Thanks for suggestion. The file system is FAT32, and no, antivirus is not the cause (tried to disable it already). Now I know, that something is wrong with Windows Explorer. If I try to delete/rename locked file with Total Commander, it works, but only if no Windows Explorer window is open. So it is Windows Explorer that locks the files. It has been a while since I reinstalled Windows, so maybe it is needed. For the present I can handle the problematic files easily with Total Commander (not a big problem, since affected are only DOS .exe files) and I will see if there are any other problems.

It seems to me, you have installed some strange shell-extension.
To verify, you should start regedit and look under HKCR\exefile\shellex.
Look for all the possible handlers that are listed there.
You will see only something like {86F19A00-42A0-1069-A2E9-08002B30309D}; look under HKCR\CLSID, what the handler is for.

But don't fiddle with them, unless you know, what you are doing...

Thank you, Markus, for your advice. I created a restore point, backed up the registry and deleted CmdLineExt in HKCR\exefile\shellex. And now everything seems to be working fine and the files are no longer locked. I am not sure, though, if I can safely let it deleted for good.
I have attached two screenshots of the registry to the System Specs forum, because for some strange reason it is impossible to attach files in this forum.
Topic 4421

Hi Jiri,
there seem to be at least two versions of the dll: cmdlineext02.dll and cmdlineext03.dll, both are part of the securom-copyprotection, although they are not involved in the protection itself.
They extend the propertymenu of securom-protected executables by one entry named "Analyze launch", which shall provide some information for securoms supportline (just tried it: application refused to start at all and didn't write a logfile.)
If the dll is deleted, it will be recreated as soon as you're starting a protected application again; however it will not be recreated, if you remove all references in the registry (best done with regsvr32 /u cmdlineext0X.dll).
I didn't notice any differences with protected apps after removing this dll, they are working as they should.

Well, securom doesn't seem to think it's vital too, otherwise they wouldn't have chosen %TEMP% for the installation.

So I assume it's safe to get rid of this dll, but you can keep a copy somewhere in case you should need it (regsvr32 cmdlineext0X.dll et voilà!)

OK. Thank you very much for help. Those mean copyprotection schemes really give me a headache. 😠

Jiri , i have the same problem. It all started happening after i installed DOS Box. To be even worse the files that are getting locked are patches for some programs that i use. Now not only that i can not erase this patches , but they also not work properly ?!
I came to idea that it is connected with DOS box after i first noticed the locked file problem - than i also noticed that DOS box icon appeared in recently used programs on Win XP start menu (although i really didnt use it recently).
I went on and uninstalled DOS box but the problems remained. Two more things i must add -
first i fiddled with mount drives in Dos Box - so just maybe this changed some windows settings for good ?
second : The program that phisically locks the undeletable files is explorer.exe

So developers please help. Perhaps there is a way to restrore system settings to way they were before installing dos box?

DOSBOX does not do things like this. Thousands of people used it without any problem like that (even Jiri's problem was not caused by DOSBOX).
You had to do something else...
BTW: DOSBOX does not have any icon of its own. 😀 You probably see DOS icon which is normally in Windows.

In any case: what about doing what Jiri did?

Mirek

This happens to me occasionally but I usually just end the explorer task, after reading another post of a user with the prob I investigated my own system and found that

{9869EFB4-18E9-11D3-A837-00104B9E30B5} in HKCR
references
cmdlineext03.dll

Looking around the net there seems to be various versions of cmdlineext so when scanning your system look for cmdlineext* and start from there.

Found this: http://file.net/process/cmdlineext03.dll.html

Just found this:

http://abates.tetrap.com/archives/2004/12/22/ … neext02dll.html

Hmmmm, Going to have to do some testing. If this is true we may need to go on the warpath if someone hasn't already....

Bumping for later research and inclusion into Deep Thought.

Possible trojan?

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php … 2034#post422034

cmdlineext is compressed with Petite. Time to break out the decompression tools. 😁

Ran into this problem again a couple of days ago and finally decided to track it down, here's my latest info so far:

Main game executable contains cmdlineextXX.dll file which attaches itself to Windows Explorer and will lock any 16bit file from being deleted.

.dll compressed using "petite" compression program used by malware programs.
.dll rumoured to cause higher explorer processor utilization.
.dll rumoured to cause explorer to hang.

16bit files can only be deleted by:

1. Booting another Operating System and deleting the files.
2. Ending the explorer task in Task Manager and then deleting the files that you want deleted from the Command Line.

To fix this issue simply end the Explorer task in Task Manager, open upon a command prompt using Task Manager and then delete the cmdlineextxx.dll file in your \Windows\System32 directory.

Deus Ex Invisible War
cmdlineext03.dll
Ion Launcher.exe
CD2 Game Disc
SecuROM 4.87.04.0138

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
CMDLineExt02.dll
gta-vc.exe
DISC 1
SecuROM *new* v 4.84.69.0071

Hitman 2
cmdlineext02.dll
hitman2.exe
SecuROM new V 4.82.01.0017

Master of Orion 3
CMDLineExt02.dll
moo3.exe
DISC 1
SecuROM new v4.84.50.0030

Max Payne 2
cmdlineext03.dll
MaxPayne2.exe
SecuROM *new* V4.85.04.0018

Simpsons Hit & Run
cmdlineext03.dll
simpsons.exe
SecuROM 4.85.07.0027

Star Wars Battlefront
cmdlineext03.dll
battlefront.exe
DISC 1
Securom v5.03.06.0041

Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy
cmdlineext03.dll
jasp.exe
DISC 1
SecuROM *new* V 4.84.84.0020

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
cmdlineext03.dll
swkotor.exe
SecuROM 4.87.02.0030

Temple of Elemental Evil
cmdlineext03.dll
TOEE.EXE
SecuROM *new* V 4.84.84.0019

Thief Deadly Shadows
cmdlineext03.dll
T3.EXE
DISC 1
SecuROM v5.03.04.0034

Tribes Vengeance
cmdlineext03.dll
TV_CD_DVD.EXE
SecuROM 5.03.06.0031

Unreal Tournament 2004
cmdlineext03.dll
ut2004.exe
DISC 1
SecuROM v5.02.02.0033

DOESN'T CONTAIN cmdlineext

NOLF 2
Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the ring
Neverwinter Nights Hordes of the Underdark Expansion

It looks like it's safe to say that almost every SECUROM game contains this .dll, which can only be bypassed by cracking the executable BEFORE executing the game. (Executing the game installs the .dll).

I can't say if more recent versions of SECUROM install this .dll or not since I haven't bought a copyprotected game in oh.....about a 1+. Hmmm, I wonder why? 😀

I plan to write up the above in a more comprehensive article and search the net for lists of other SECUROM games and see if those versions contain this .dll or not. I'm also not sure if updated .dll's have this issued fixed or not. Obviously if you have 16bit programs and you work with them alot then you will be affected by this.

Reasons why I haven't bought a PC game in 1+ year:

1. Can't make backups, and to do so involves too much research.
2. Copy protection installing drivers, which I hate. Meaning I have to use cracks which means I can't use the latest update for a game.
3. .dll's such as the one above where I have to jump through hoops to delete files.
4. Copy protection drivers causing erratic CD drive behavior.
5. Recent games suck.

Looks like this issue is still around. Amazing...

Right-click issue in Mass Effect v1.01 Update:

http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums/viewtopi … 43285&forum=127

Also affects Windows 9x
Windows 98SE Unable to delete or rename MS-DOS .exe files.