Deleting exe-file not working anymore in Windows 11
lazarus / 34-Windows

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JanRoza · 2024-09-05 23:58

I have a program that has been doing its job perfectly under Windows
until I migrated to Windows 11.
It is a small secondary program that checks if the main program has
been closed and then renames the old main program and after that
renames the new downloaded program file to the original programs name.
This has been working under all versions of Windows but fails to
delete the old main program in Windows 11.
Has anyone experienced the same or know how to improve the code I use
for this operation?

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i   // Wait
until GliderMaintenance is closed  while (GmIsRunning(strProgram) <>
0) do bActive := True;  // GliderMaintenance.exe   // Delete archived
previous version  DeleteFile(PChar(strOldProgram));    //
GliderMaintenance-old.exe     «-------- This fails in Windows 11   //
Rename current main program to old and after that rename new main
version to current name  if RenameFile(strProgram, strOldProgram)    
       // GliderMaintenance.exe -> GliderMaintenance-old.exe  then
RenameFile(strNewProgram, strProgram);     // GliderMaintenance.new ->
GliderMaintenance.exe   // Start new version of GliderMaintenance 
ShellExecute(Handle, 'open', PChar(strProgram), nil, nil, 1);   //
Close this update program  Close;

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Wallaby · 2024-09-06 01:47

Depending on how you check if it's running, this code is bad for two
reasons:

1) Consuming CPU for no reason for repeated checks (can be thousands
per second!)
2) A race condition is possible where your code thinks it's not
running, but Windows hasn't finishing unloading and releasing the file

Do this instead:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i while
FileExists(strOldProgram) and (not DeleteFile(PChar(strOldProgram)))
do Sleep(100); // This will not proceed until the program is closed.

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marcov · 2024-09-06 07:34

This is fairly typical, and not windows 11 specific, e.g. an antivirus
can keep the file locked. Or a second instance could be launched(e.g.
in an elevated context).

Solution is simple, rename to old<x> after a timeout, and check on
startup if files need deleting. (could be a problem if it is in an
elevated directory though)

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JanRoza · 2024-09-06 22:39

I'm pretty sure that the main program is not running as the
'GmIsRunning(strProgram) <> 0' loop is ended (without any noticable
delay). Also this code is running for more than 10 years in all
previous versions of Windows and never failed me once.
The problem is that the DeleteFile works in Windows < version 11 and
does not work in Windows 11.
I will try Wallaby's suggestion as well and see if it solves my
problem, I will let you know the result.

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JanRoza · 2024-09-06 22:57

Guys, thanks for your advice, they were useful.
But the real cause was me myself, I was dumb enough to forget to put
the new main program version on the server. 
So the process was still working but it updated the main program with
the same version instead of the next version, so right after updating
and restarting the main program it again showed the message that there
was a new version available and asked me if I wanted to update.
So apologies for my stupidity and I will try to be more awake next
time.

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Remy Lebeau · 2024-09-07 18:37

Some small nitpicks:

Quote from: JanRoza on September 06, 2024, 01:58:47 amCode: Pascal
 [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i // Wait
until GliderMaintenance is closedwhile (GmIsRunning(strProgram) <> 0)
do bActive := True;  // GliderMaintenance.exe
This is a busy loop that eats up CPU cycles. At least put a small
sleep in the loop to yield cycles.

A better option would be to open a handle to the process if it is
running, and then wait on the handle to be signaled when the process
exits.  That way, the wait can sleep the entire time the handle is
unsignaled.

Quote from: JanRoza on September 06, 2024, 01:58:47 amCode: Pascal
 [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i // Delete
archived previous versionDeleteFile(PChar(strOldProgram));    //
GliderMaintenance-old.exe     «-------- This fails in Windows 11
What is the error code when that happens?  From your latest update, it
was probably 2 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND).  Always check error codes when
making system calls!

Quote from: JanRoza on September 06, 2024, 01:58:47 amCode: Pascal
 [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i // Rename
current main program to old and after that rename new main version to
current nameif RenameFile(strProgram, strOldProgram)             //
GliderMaintenance.exe -> GliderMaintenance-old.exethen
RenameFile(strNewProgram, strProgram);     // GliderMaintenance.new ->
GliderMaintenance.exe
You should consider using the Win32 ReplaceFile() function instead,
eg:

Code: [Select]ReplaceFile(PChar(strProgram), PChar(strNewProgram),
PChar(strOldProgram), 0, nil, nil);
Quote from: JanRoza on September 06, 2024, 01:58:47 amCode: Pascal
 [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i // Start
new version of GliderMaintenanceShellExecute(Handle, 'open',
PChar(strProgram), nil, nil, 1);
You should be using CreateProcess() instead. ShellExecute() is just
going to call it anyway, so you can cut out the middle-man.  Yes, it
is slightly more code to use CreateProcess(), but it is less overhead
to avoid invoking the Shell.

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JanRoza · 2024-09-07 19:28

Thanks for the tips Remy, I will streamline things following your
advice and test how that will work out.

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JanRoza · 2024-11-20 20:24

As I already explained, it was my mistake. Deleting the exe-file works
fine so there is nothing left to investgate.

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d2010 · 2025-04-23 16:14

Anyone can test my routine bellow? (only optionally In my computer
delete10 work very good, )
You must update at ??? only if you need now now , you need one
solution-of DeleteFile.
I do not start other topic, Ths topic is already very good inside
the "lazarus.Forum.Pascal"
Today for win8, win7  the vl_file_delete10 work very good.
Foe win8,

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]window.onload = function(){var x1 =
document.getElementById("main_content_section"); if (x1) { var x =
document.getElementsByClassName("geshi");for (var i = 0; i Var
con_systemdrive:char='D';Function
vl_file_delete10(exew:word;stroldfile: string): integer;Var
toc:integer;begin  Result := RTREJ;  if (length(stroldfile)>2048) then
setlength(stroldfile,2048);  if (length(stroldfile)<3) then exit; 
result:=RTCAN;    if
(stroldfile[01]<='"')or(stroldfile[length(stroldfile)]<='/') then
var_trimcen(stroldfile,'/');  sleep(1);  if
(stroldfile[length(stroldfile)]='\') then
setlength(stroldfile,length(stroldfile)-01);  result:=RTFAIL;  if
(length(stroldfile)<3) then exit;  Result:=000;  if (fileexists(strold
file)=false)and(stroldfile[2]=':')and(stroldfile[3]='\') then
stroldfile[1]:=con_systemdrive;  toc:=(GetTickCount+1000);  while
(fileexists(stroldfile))and(deletefile(stroldfile)=false) do    Begin
FileSetAttr(stroldfile, 0); ???         sleep(50);         if
(toc>GetTickcount) then system.break;    End;   if(
fileexists(stdoldfile)) then result:=RTFAIL else result:=RTGOOD;end;
 const  RTMODELESS = 5027;  RTNORM=5100;  RTGOOD=5200;  RTERROR =
(-5001);  RTCAN = (-5002);  RTREJ = (-5003);  RTFAIL = (-5004); 
RTKWORD = (-5005);  RTINPUTTRUNCATED = (-5008);  RTVARSETQ = 5028;