<p>Try <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/4006/where-is-the-data-folder-for-bitcoin-qt">opening your data directory</a> and deleting the file <code>.lock</code></p>

<p>Make sure Bitcoin is closed while you're doing this.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T07:54:00.177Z
please, i  deleted the .lock and after re-launching the bitcoin core software the same problem exist. It loads from 1% to 100% and after it is done loading it disappears. But I realize the .lock file which I deleted is restored after software was launched. This is really giving me headache pls help me
pearl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T15:55:21.080Z
Nick, please help me !!!
pearl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T18:11:21.323Z
Right now, another problem has appear. Bitcoin core software has totally freeze at "loading block index" I have 1 BTC on it. Should I forget it ???????
pearl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-29T12:09:51.967Z
@pearl: The `.lock` should be present while Bitcoin Core is running. It ensures that only one instance of the program is being run at the same time. For the new problem, you should create another question post. Please add as much useful details as possible. [Oops, I thought it was this month, not last month.]
Murch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-29T01:53:05.290Z
2015-06-29T01:53:05.290Z
2017-04-13T12:47:33.583Z
Nick ODell
<p>You must have forcibly shut down the bitcoin client previously, or maybe the daemon is still running and you are attempting to run another client listening at the same port.</p>

<p>To kill all bitcoin client instances, you need to know the processes listening to the port.</p>

<p>Open a command prompt with administrator privileges and type in the following command to get the details of services running</p>

<pre><code>netstat -o
</code></pre>

<p>This will list all the services listening to the various ports. Find the one with the bitcoin service (you can also see the port, <code>8332</code> for the actual bitcoin client and <code>18332</code> for the testnet client). Once you have acquired the process IDs, you need to forcibly kill the processes by typing in the command</p>

<pre><code>Taskkill /PID &lt;process_id_here&gt; /F
</code></pre>

<p>Try restarting the client.</p>

<p>Useful links I used as source: </p>

<p><a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/258136/investigating-which-windows-service-is-listening-to-which-ip-and-port">netstat</a></p>

<p><a href="http://tweaks.com/windows/39559/kill-processes-from-command-prompt/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Killing Processes</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-30T13:43:52.143Z
2016-10-02T21:05:45.643Z
2017-05-23T12:34:59.703Z
Shabahat M. Ayubi
<p>I downloaded Bitcoin Core (64 bit) and I am still waiting for it to synchronize. But just now, when I open the software, it loads from 1% to 100% and then a message appears with the inscription </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><code>Cannot obtain a lock on data directory C:/Users/ADMIN/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin. Bitcoin Core is probably already running.</code></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Then the program disappears to the task bar and I can't open it from the task bar. Please, any help?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-28T17:32:53.330Z
when I try to open the software it says " cannot obtain a lock on data directory C:/Users/ADMIN/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin.Bitcoin Core is probably already running"
pearl
<bitcoin-core>
Bitcoin Core cannot obtain lock
pearl
# Bitcoin Core cannot obtain lock

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-28)

I downloaded Bitcoin Core (64 bit) and I am still waiting for it to synchronize. But just now, when I open the software, it loads from 1% to 100% and then a message appears with the inscription

> `Cannot obtain a lock on data directory C:/Users/ADMIN/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin. Bitcoin Core is probably already running.`

Then the program disappears to the task bar and I can't open it from the task bar. Please, any help?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: when I try to open the software it says " cannot obtain a lock on data directory C:/Users/ADMIN/AppData/Roaming/Bitcoin.Bitcoin Core is probably already running"  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-06-29. Score: 7

Try [opening your data directory](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/4006/where-is-the-data-folder-for-bitcoin-qt) and deleting the file `.lock`

Make sure Bitcoin is closed while you're doing this.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: please, i  deleted the .lock and after re-launching the bitcoin core software the same problem exist. It loads from 1% to 100% and after it is done loading it disappears. But I realize the .lock file which I deleted is restored after software was launched. This is really giving me headache pls help me  
> **username_0**: username_1, please help me !!!  
> **username_0**: Right now, another problem has appear. Bitcoin core software has totally freeze at "loading block index" I have 1 BTC on it. Should I forget it ???????  
> **username_2**: @username_0: The `.lock` should be present while Bitcoin Core is running. It ensures that only one instance of the program is being run at the same time. For the new problem, you should create another question post. Please add as much useful details as possible. [Oops, I thought it was this month, not last month.]  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-09-30. Score: 2

You must have forcibly shut down the bitcoin client previously, or maybe the daemon is still running and you are attempting to run another client listening at the same port.

To kill all bitcoin client instances, you need to know the processes listening to the port.

Open a command prompt with administrator privileges and type in the following command to get the details of services running

```
netstat -o

```

This will list all the services listening to the various ports. Find the one with the bitcoin service (you can also see the port, `8332` for the actual bitcoin client and `18332` for the testnet client). Once you have acquired the process IDs, you need to forcibly kill the processes by typing in the command

```
Taskkill /PID <process_id_here> /F

```

Try restarting the client.

Useful links I used as source:

[netstat](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/258136/investigating-which-windows-service-is-listening-to-which-ip-and-port)

[Killing Processes](http://tweaks.com/windows/39559/kill-processes-from-command-prompt/)


---

