Thread: Can't copy files in Vista

I was trying to copy some files recently on my new Windows Vista computer, and came up against an error message that said:

"Error Ox800704C8: The requested operation cannot be performed on a file with a user¬mapped section open."

I was then given three options: Try Again, Skip or Cancel. I clicked Try Again and the file then copied perfectly, but the error appeared again a few seconds later. Ticking the box marked 'Do this for all current items' made no difference. It only seems to happen when I copy lots of files from my external hard disk to the computer's main hard disk.

This problem appears to be caused by Windows Live Onecare, the Microsoft security program. While there doesn't appear to be a way around it completely, it is possible to make it go away temporarily. What's happening is that, as you copy files on to the computer Onecare is checking them to make sure they don't contain viruses.

Unfortunately, it looks like Onecare isn't doing this without interfering with the way Windows copies the files in the first place, leading to both Windows and Onecare trying to access the file at the same time, at which point the error message occurs.

If you click Try Again, as you've seen, the file will copy because by that time Onecare has no more need of it, but it will crop up again if you're copying large numbers of files. The only way around this that we've found is to turn off the anti-virus protection in Onecare.

Obviously, this goes against everything we normally say about anti-virus software, which is that it should be on at all times.

However, under some circumstances it can be safe to turn it off for short periods. The safest way to do this is to disconnect your internet connection beforehand - if you're connected to a home router, unplug the network cable from the back of the PC, or if you're using a USB modem, disconnect it in Windows in the normal way to cut the connection. Now open the Onecare console by double-clicking the Onecare icon in the Notification Area. Click the link on the left marked Change Settings - you may be asked to give the computer permission to change them. In the box that appears, click the Viruses and Spyware tab, then click Off and click OK.

You'll see part of the main console turn red, and a message will appear saying that your anti-virus protection is switched off. Leave the console open so it's easy to switch it back on when you're done. Go back to Windows and copy the files as you were before - you'll find that the error doesn't appear.

As soon as the files have finished copying, go back to the Onecare console and click the button marked Turn On to switch the anti-virus module back on.

Do remember that, because the virus-checker wasn't on when you copied the files, they won't have been checked, so you should run a full virus scan on the copied files as soon as you've switched it back on, or preferably, run the scan on the files before you copy them, while they're on the external hard disk.