Windows System Errors

Windows System Errors 32 — ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION

In Windows System Errors, code 32 is ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION. The official source describes it as “The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.”. Its concrete cause depends on the operation and surrounding message.

Code32
SymbolERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION
Source confidencehigh

Official definition

The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

In plain language

In Windows System Errors, code 32 is ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION. The official source describes it as “The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.”. Its concrete cause depends on the operation and surrounding message.

Context to inspect

  • The surrounding operation, version and subsystem determine the actual cause.
  • The same numeric value can mean something different in another namespace.

Safe first checks

  1. Confirm which product, protocol or subsystem produced the code.
  2. Read the full surrounding error message and inspect relevant logs.
  3. Compare the code with the linked authoritative documentation before changing configuration.

Important context

The surrounding operation, version and subsystem determine the actual cause.

Authoritative source

Microsoft Learn — System Error Codes

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