Cannot delete contents

[newuser1]

Also, another spooky thing I have encountered several times in the past: I would get a message saying that Sandboxie was not able to delete the contents of the Sandbox, or it would start the process of deleting and almost get to the end and then give me that message when there was only about 1 Mb of contents left to delete. And then the only way to actually overcome that problem and delete the remaining contents would be to go into Safe Mode and run CCleaner (with Sandboxie checked), which would itself cause more anxieties because CCleaner says they don't recomment running their software in Safe Mode and doing so could create problems.

[bo.elam]

I would get a message saying that Sandboxie was not able to delete the contents of the Sandbox, or it would start the process of deleting and almost get to the end and then give me that message when there was only about 1 Mb of contents left to delete.

newuser1, the sandbox not getting deleting error is something we all experience sometimes. When this happens, all you have to do is reboot the PC, and try deleting the sandbox afterward.

Bo

[Craig@Invincea]

When this happens, all you have to do is reboot the PC, and try deleting the sandbox afterward

Exactly.

[hottroc]

It's still a bug though.

[bo.elam]

It's still a bug though.

No, it is not a bug but this is what happens when another program you are using, like an AV, Anti exploit, firewall, HIPS, or something else, has a lock on files inside the sandbox as you attempt to delete the sandbox. This lock keeps the sandbox from being deleted. The reboot releases the lock, that's why you can easily delete the sandbox afterwards.

Bo

[hottroc]

But the whole point of running a program in the sandbox is so you can delete the files when finished. If "something else" can lock the files so they cant be deleted, whats the point? I consider it a bug even if you don't.

[Syrinx]

But the whole point of running a program in the sandbox is so you can delete the files when finished. If "something else" can lock the files so they cant be deleted, whats the point? I consider it a bug even if you don't.

The point of the sandbox is to keep changes that happen inside from propagating to the real OS. If there is something running outside of the sandbox, be it an AV, security software, or something else on your host that locks the file, there's only so much that any program can do. While I also think that there is more that sandboxie could be tweaked to do to handle such instances in a better fashion, outside of an alert, I still don't think it's a bug in any sense. If it were my computer I'd try finding out what still had a handle on the locked folder and then make a tweak here or there in order to try and correct it or just flat out remove the offending program. There was a thread where such issues where discussed before which can be found here: http://forums.sandboxie.com/phpBB3/view ... 11&t=21000 Usually if a program still has a file or folder open, there will be a handle for it.

Next time it happens you could try running Process Explorer
In the menu you will see an item labeled 'Find'
Select that followed by Find Handle or DLL...
This will open up a box where you can type in the path to the sandbox which failed to get deleted and get an idea what still has something opened inside.
Thanks to Curt for sharing that trick with us btw!

Even Windows Explorer will complain and fail when such a lock is in place. Seeing as Sandboxie only uses the command line to pass arguments and make use of windows based programs to execute the deletion, there's only so much more they could even try. I also shared a real potential 'bug' in that thread along with a workaround involving runas and the sbiectrl not using the correct user name/path which has yet to be fixed but at this point I expect that's because I'm the only one to have even experienced it. That quirk irks me still but thankfully it's not a real problem either.

Ever since the alert was implemented and I figured out the user issue along with a workaround, this problem hasn't really come up for me. I see the alert rarely and thanks to it, I can check and take action to ensure the folder is removed. Maybe I just drank the kool aid on this one but I really wouldn't classify it as a bug with SBIE at this point.

[bo.elam]

But the whole point of running a program in the sandbox is so you can delete the files when finished. If "something else" can lock the files so they cant be deleted, whats the point? I consider it a bug even if you don't.

Hottroc, let me give you a rule of thumb on the sandbox doesn't delete matter based on my experience using Sandboxie: The fewer amount of security programs that you use along Sandboxie, the lesser amount of times you ll experience the sandbox not deleting when you close the sandboxed program. And if you eliminate using programs that conflict with SBIE, the number of times this happens is basically none. I rarely ever see a sandbox doesn't delete message. Almost every time when I see it is when I am doing too many things at the same time and too fast, in other words, opening and closing sandboxes too fast.

Bo

[jhutchins2]

I have the same problem.
Interestingly, it only manifested itself after I was "forced by Microsoft" to upgrade to Windows 10.
The delete contents continuously failed, so I followed the forum advice and rebooted, to no avail.
Next time I chose to "Explore contents". I found that I could delete all except the RegHive file.
I find this a typical Windows type of problem, where I must forfeit control of my computer to the master OS.
However, If I could just figure out how to unlock that file, I might be able to have a successful workaround.

[Craig@Invincea]

I have the same problem.
Interestingly, it only manifested itself after I was "forced by Microsoft" to upgrade to Windows 10.
The delete contents continuously failed, so I followed the forum advice and rebooted, to no avail.
Next time I chose to "Explore contents". I found that I could delete all except the RegHive file.
I find this a typical Windows type of problem, where I must forfeit control of my computer to the master OS.
However, If I could just figure out how to unlock that file, I might be able to have a successful workaround.

Rebooting is what would unlock the file if it was locked. Do you have any other programs running? Double check SBIE control> Program view
Any antivirus scanning/running?

[FredHassel]

It's still a bug though.

[Craig@Invincea]

It's still a bug though.

A locked file isn't a bug. It's simply a locked file. We have millions of users, if it was a bug, we'd have tens of thousands of posts.

[rpljhun]

It's still a bug though.

It's not a bug. Aside from those third party softwares running outside the sandbox accessing sandbox folder, as simple as browsing sandbox folder using your unsandboxed Windows Explorer or unsandboxed command prompt in sandbox directory will cause it to lock. So you need to close those first before you can delete the contents of your sandbox.

Though they can improve these by forcing to close any handle pointing to the sandbox folder. Since these folder are for sandboxie use only, I think it is safe to do that. If it fails another option would be to provide list of locking process and terminate it with users approval and an option to reboot it fails again.

[hottroc]

But surely the idea of the sandbox is that it is something running without the ability to affect the rest of your system. So shouldn't those (or any) 3rd party programs be prevented from accessing the sandboxed folders, (except in a read only way perhaps)? Else all hell could break loose if a clever malware writer thought about it.

"browsing sandbox folder using your unsandboxed Windows Explorer or unsandboxed command prompt in sandbox directory will cause it to lock"
....neither of these apply to me. But in my case it's probably the AV.

Having said that the issue very rarely occurs for me in the release I am now using...5.11.5.

Instead I get:
SBIE2313 Could not execute SandboxieDcomLaunch.exe (216)
SBIE2204 Cannot start sandboxed service DcomLaunch (216)

[rpljhun]

But surely the idea of the sandbox is that it is something running without the ability to affect the rest of your system. So shouldn't those (or any) 3rd party programs be prevented from accessing the sandboxed folders, (except in a read only way perhaps)? Else all hell could break loose if a clever malware writer thought about it.

Actually it's useless to protect these when your system is already compromise. Sandboxie can't do anything about it even AV when a malware is unknown with their Shields On can't do anything. That is why it is a must that your system is clean from malware before installing Sandboxie. A malware can't do anything when run sandbox unless it finds atleast two bugs: (a) sandbox escape bug, (b) privilege-escalation bug.

"browsing sandbox folder using your unsandboxed Windows Explorer or unsandboxed command prompt in sandbox directory will cause it to lock"
....neither of these apply to me. But in my case it's probably the AV.

I think Windows 8 and above can experience these.

Instead I get:
SBIE2313 Could not execute SandboxieDcomLaunch.exe (216)
SBIE2204 Cannot start sandboxed service DcomLaunch (216)

Probably your AV is causing these, Norton I guess.