Checking for Open Files in Win2K

I use my Windows 2000 Professional system as a server on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. When I shut down my system, Win2K—unlike Windows Me and Windows 98—doesn't alert me that another network user has files open on my system. How can I enable this behavior in Win2K, or do you know of a third-party product that can provide such an alert?

You need to check manually for the existence of open files before you shut down your Win2K Pro machine. The Windows NT Control Panel Server applet, with its In Use button, isn't in Win2K, but you can use the Net File command to list the open shared files. (For information about this command, see Kelly Smith, "Exploring NET Commands," http://www.win2000mag.com, InstantDoc ID 3509.) Or you can download mersoft Software's Open File List (ofl) utility, a free tool that provides similar but enhanced capabilities. (Go to http://www.merxsoft.com/free/ofl.htm for information about ofl.)