C++/Win32: How to wait for a pending delete to complete

Question

Solved:

• Workable solution: sbi\'s answer
• Explanation for what really happens: Hans\'s answer
• Explanation for why OpenFile do

Answer 1

This is maybe not your particular issue, but it's possible so I suggest you get out Process Monitor (Sysinternals) and see.

I had exactly the same problem and discovered that Comodo Internet Security (cmdagent.exe) was contributing to the problem. Previously I had a dual-core machine, but when I upgraded to an Intel i7 suddenly my working software (jam.exe by Perfore software) no longer worked because it had the same pattern (a delete then create, but no check). After debugging the problem I found GetLastError() was returning access denied, but Process Monitor reveals a 'delete pending'. Here is the trace:

10:39:10.1738151 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS Desired Access: Read Attributes, Delete, Disposition: Open, Options: Non-Directory File, Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a, OpenResult: Opened
10:39:10.1738581 AM jam.exe 5032    QueryAttributeTagFile   C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS Attributes: ANCI, ReparseTag: 0x0
10:39:10.1738830 AM jam.exe 5032    SetDispositionInformationFile   C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS Delete: True
10:39:10.1739216 AM jam.exe 5032    CloseFile   C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1739438 AM jam.exe 5032    IRP_MJ_CLOSE    C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1744837 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   DELETE PENDING  Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0
10:39:10.1788811 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   DELETE PENDING  Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0
10:39:10.1838276 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   DELETE PENDING  Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0
10:39:10.1888407 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   DELETE PENDING  Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0
10:39:10.1936323 AM System  4   FASTIO_ACQUIRE_FOR_SECTION_SYNCHRONIZATION  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS SyncType: SyncTypeOther
10:39:10.1936531 AM System  4   FASTIO_RELEASE_FOR_SECTION_SYNCHRONIZATION  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1936647 AM System  4   IRP_MJ_CLOSE    C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1939064 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   DELETE PENDING  Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0
10:39:10.1945733 AM cmdagent.exe    1188    CloseFile   C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1946532 AM cmdagent.exe    1188    IRP_MJ_CLOSE    C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1947020 AM cmdagent.exe    1188    IRP_MJ_CLOSE    C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS 
10:39:10.1948945 AM cfp.exe 1832    QueryOpen   C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   FAST IO DISALLOWED  
10:39:10.1949781 AM cfp.exe 1832    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   NAME NOT FOUND  Desired Access: Read Attributes, Disposition: Open, Options: Open Reparse Point, Attributes: n/a, ShareMode: Read, Write, Delete, AllocationSize: n/a
10:39:10.1989720 AM jam.exe 5032    CreateFile  C:\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Temp\jam5032t1.bat   SUCCESS Desired Access: Generic Write, Read Attributes, Disposition: OverwriteIf, Options: Synchronous IO Non-Alert, Non-Directory File, Attributes: N, ShareMode: Read, Write, AllocationSize: 0, OpenResult: Created

As you can see, there is a request to delete followed by several attempts to open the file again by jam.exe (it's an fopen in a loop). You can see cmdagent.exe presumably had the file open as it closes its handle and then suddenly jam.exe is able to now open the file.

Of course, the suggested solution to wait and try again, and it works just fine.