A file held open on a replication target by some user or process can prevent FRS from replacing the file with updated content. In this case, the file will be staged on the target computer, and FRS will retry installation of the file. In the case of a folder, a sharing violation on a folder can block changes that reside in and under that locked folder.
If the file is locked on the computer from which the replication should originate, then FRS will be unable to read the file to generate the staging file, hence delaying replication. If the file is locked on the replication target, then FRS will be unable to update the file. In this case FRS continues to retry the update until it succeeds. The retry interval is 30 to 60 seconds.
Identify and close the files causing the sharing violations by using the following methods.
Sharing violations are logged in the File Replication Service event log in the following operating systems:
Sharing violations are logged as FRS event ID 13573. This event provides the file name and file GUID of the file held open and provides steps to resolve the sharing violation.
FRSDiag shows which files have sharing violations. For more information about FRSDiag, see Troubleshooting FRS Using FRSDiag.
Ultrasound shows two types of alerts for sharing violations: fetch sharing violations and install/retry sharing violations. These alerts display the file name, path, and file GUID of the file held open. The type of alert helps you determine which server has the file held open. For fetch sharing violations, investigate files held open on the outbound partner. For install/retry sharing violations, investigate files held open on the inbound partner.
You can also view current sharing violations by viewing the Advanced tab, expanding the list of views for the desired replica set, and then clicking any of the following views:
Note
If you want to reduce the number and frequency of sharing violation alerts that Ultrasound displays for servers running Windows Server 2003, install the latest versions of FRS described under Event Logs and use the instructions in article 816493, "How to Configure the File Replication Service to Allow Fewer Sharing Violations That Block Replication" at http://support.microsoft.com/?id=816493 to enable the Install Override feature.
The following methods can be used to confirm that sharing violations are the cause of the file not replicating.
Methods for Detecting Sharing Violations
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Net file command | Available as part of the Windows 2000 and Windows Server
2003 operating systems, the net file command displays the names of
all open shared files on a server and the number of file locks, if
any, on each server. Net file also closes individual shared files
and removes file locks.
Although the net file command will tell you which users are holding the file open via the network, this tool does not report any files being held open by local processes. |
| Oh.exe | Available as part of the Windows 2000 Resource Kit tools, Oh.exe shows the handles of all open windows. The tool can also be used to show only information relating to a specific process, object type, or object name. This feature is useful for finding the process that has a file open when a sharing violation occurs. |
For relevant KB articles, see the following: