Software Alternatives & Startups

LockHunter VS Process Explorer

Compare LockHunter VS Process Explorer and see what are their differences

LockHunter logo LockHunter

It is a free tool to delete files blocked by something you do not know.

Process Explorer logo Process Explorer

The top window always shows a list of the currently active processes, including the names of their owning accounts, whereas the information displayed in the bottom window depends on the mode that Process Explorer is in: if it is in handle mode you'l…
  • LockHunter Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-22
  • Process Explorer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-21

LockHunter features and specs

  • Freeware
    LockHunter is completely free to use, making it accessible for individuals and organizations without any financial commitment.
  • Ease of Use
    The software offers a straightforward interface that makes it easy for users to identify and unlock files that are being blocked by other processes.
  • Integration with Windows Explorer
    LockHunter integrates directly into the Windows Explorer context menu, allowing users to quickly unlock files with a right-click.
  • Support for Multiple File Types
    It can unlock a variety of file types, making it a versatile tool for handling blocked files regardless of their format.
  • Safety Feature
    LockHunter moves files to the recycle bin rather than deleting them permanently, allowing users to recover files if needed.

Possible disadvantages of LockHunter

  • Limited to Windows
    LockHunter is only available for Windows, which limits its use for people using other operating systems such as MacOS or Linux.
  • Potential for File Misuse
    Incorrect usage of the tool can potentially lead to system instability if critical system files are unlocked without proper knowledge.
  • Dependency on System Configuration
    The effectiveness of LockHunter can be impacted by specific system configurations or settings, which may limit its usability in certain environments.
  • May Require Administrative Rights
    Unlocking certain files might require administrative privileges, which could be an obstacle for users working within restricted environments.
  • Sparse Documentation
    The documentation provided with LockHunter is limited, which might make it difficult for new users to fully understand all of its functionalities.

Process Explorer features and specs

  • Detailed System Information
    Process Explorer provides in-depth information about system processes, including detailed CPU and memory usage stats.
  • Hierarchical View
    It shows processes in a tree structure, making it easy to understand parent-child relationships between processes.
  • Advanced Diagnostic Capabilities
    The tool offers advanced features like DLL and handle viewing, allowing detailed investigation of system issues.
  • Real-Time Monitoring
    It allows real-time monitoring of system performance, including CPU, GPU, and I/O activity, which is critical for diagnosing performance bottlenecks.
  • Integration with VirusTotal
    Process Explorer can integrate with VirusTotal to check the safety of running processes, adding an extra layer of security.
  • Free to Use
    Process Explorer is part of the Sysinternals suite, which is freely available for use, making it accessible for both individual users and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of Process Explorer

  • Complexity
    The extensive features and detailed information can be overwhelming for novice users who may find the interface complex to navigate.
  • Resource Intensive
    While generally lightweight, the comprehensive monitoring features can consume a noticeable amount of system resources, which might affect performance on older or less powerful systems.
  • Windows Only
    Process Explorer is designed specifically for Windows operating systems, limiting its use for those who work in cross-platform environments.
  • No Built-In Reporting
    The tool does not offer built-in reporting capabilities, requiring users to manually capture and document information.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its advanced features and detailed information, new users might face a steep learning curve before being able to fully utilize all its capabilities.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there are some resources available, the documentation can be sparse, making it difficult for users to find solutions to specific problems.

Analysis of Process Explorer

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Process Explorer is generally regarded as a good and reliable tool by both system administrators and other IT professionals. It is frequently recommended for its depth of features, ease of use, and the detailed process information it provides.

Why this product is good

  • Process Explorer is considered a valuable tool because it offers comprehensive insights into system processes, threads, and resource usage. It provides detailed information about which files and directories individual processes have open, the DLLs they have loaded, and more. Its ability to offer real-time data and powerful searching capabilities makes it invaluable for troubleshooting and performance monitoring.

Recommended for

  • System administrators
  • IT professionals
  • Software developers
  • Anyone interested in detailed system diagnostics
  • Users troubleshooting application issues

LockHunter videos

How to delete data with LockHunter - Betdownload.com

More videos:

  • Review - Let's have a look at LockHunter

Process Explorer videos

Sysinternals Process Explorer Review + download link and method

More videos:

  • Review - Scan for Malware Using Process Explorer and Virus Total
  • Review - What Is?: Process Explorer?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to LockHunter and Process Explorer)
Monitoring Tools
11 11%
89% 89
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0
Command Line Tools
0 0%
100% 100
Error Tracking
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using LockHunter and Process Explorer. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Process Explorer should be more popular than LockHunter. It has been mentiond 289 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

LockHunter mentions (35)

  • Why? It Jellyfin can't install. I even uninstall and then re-install
    If you encounter an access denied or file in use, use a tool like lockhunter (https://lockhunter.com) to get rid of that DLL. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Undeletable File
    Https://lockhunter.com/ give this free tool a shot. It should show you what's locking it. Source: about 3 years ago
  • File refuses to delete (Windows 10)
    I tried downloading an unlocker program to see if maybe any processes were stalling it, but not even that could remove the file. I'm completely at a loss. I could just ignore the file for the rest of my life, but I'd really rather not with how concerningly broken it is. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Parameter is incorrect when trying to shrink USB drive. Please help
    If you have write access to that filesystem... Maybe there are open files or folders, something is keeping it in use Try rebooting, or you can try LockHunter: LockHunter is a free 64/32 bit tool to delete files blocked by any processes. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Requesting help.
    If it isn't that, here's this neat tool you can use to nuke processes using files and folders. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

Process Explorer mentions (289)

  • Stats – macOS system monitor in your menu bar
    Unclear what you mean by programmable, but https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer is the bee's knees and you can set an option to have it take over taskmon.exe, launch on login, and put as many of the widgets in the taskbar as you fancy. I love it I've heard about running them directly from SMB but have never been the kind of person to try out such a stunt... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: What tools do you recommend for working on Windows?
    Always put all your portable programs in the "A:\MyPC\Programs\" folder. Always put all your documents in the "A:\MyPC\Documents\" folder. Put driver files and runtime libraries in the "A:\MyPC\Install\" folder. For all three, feel free to create subfolders as needed, either per topic, per group, or however your brain envisions data trees. You can find plenty of portable windows software in the links provided... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Hidden dependencies in Linux binaries.
    On windows, this is Dependency Walker versus ProcExp. Similar eye-goggling results. https://www.dependencywalker.com/ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Windows Explorer and Desktop Window Manager high RAM usage
    If you run Process Explorer (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer) and enable process tree view, you can see what processes are running under explorer.exe. That should give you a better idea of what's consuming that memory if you're genuinely concerned about this. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Roblox doesn't launch for months on PC
    If you have any suspicious processes running onto your computer, close them IMMEDIATELY. I suggest using Process Explorer, as it has a Virustotal which submits all Executables to virustotal under 70+ antiviruses. If any of the processes have 3+ detections, Close them down as anticheats will detect it and stop you from running Roblox. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing LockHunter and Process Explorer, you can also consider the following products

FileASSASSIN - FileASSASSIN is an application that can delete any type of locked files that are on your computer.

Process Monitor - Monitor file system, Registry, process, thread and DLL activity in real-time.

Wise Force Deleter - Delete Any File That Windows Can’t Delete.

htop - htop - an interactive process viewer for Unix. This is htop, an interactive process viewer for Unix systems. It is a text-mode application (for console or X terminals) and requires ncurses. Latest release: htop 2.

EMCO UnLock IT - Unlock file or folder, locked by the system or by an application

Autoruns - See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots and you login.