Compress-Archive error: PermissionDenied

Question

I'm trying to compress a folder using Powershell v5.1, but some files are used by another process and PS can't force or ignore them.

Get-ChildItem "C:\folder" | Compress-Archive -DestinationPath "C:\file.zip"

Also tested with -Force and -ErrorAction Ignore,Continue,SilentlyContinue, but every time I get an error like this:

ZipArchiveHelper : The process cannot access the file 'C:\folder\filexyz' be cause it is being used by another process.
At C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psm1:69
6 char:30
+ ... sArchived = ZipArchiveHelper $subDirFiles.ToArray() $destinationPath  ...
+                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : PermissionDenied: (C:\folder\filexyz:String) [Write-Error], IOException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CompressArchiveUnauthorizedAccessError,ZipArchiveHelper

New-Object : Exception calling ".ctor" with "1" argument(s): "Stream was not readable."
At C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psm1:80
7 char:38
+ ...     $srcStream = New-Object System.IO.BinaryReader $currentFileStream
+                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (:) [New-Object], MethodInvocationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ConstructorInvokedThrowException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewObjectCommand

There is no error action `Ignore/Continue` (or `Ignore`). Did you try `SilentlyContinue`? — Ansgar Wiechers, Feb 08 '18 at 13:12
`Get-ChildItem -Path C:\folder -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Compress-Archive -Destination D:\file.zip` — Maximilian Burszley, Feb 08 '18 at 14:11
Also, you're getting access denied, not file in use. `CompressArchiveUnauthorizedAccessError` this implies you don't have access to `D:\ ` — Maximilian Burszley, Feb 08 '18 at 14:11
I fixed that example... I have full access everywhere -administrator — LamiX, Feb 08 '18 at 14:21
My folder was in a long path, after moving it to user home it worked. I assume it has to do with long paths. — lsborg, Apr 16 '20 at 21:12
You can find the PowerShell solution using `IO.Compression` [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/72607926/how-do-i-compress-files-using-powershell-that-are-over-2-gb) — Santiago Squarzon, Oct 19 '22 at 22:25

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 03 '19 at 21:09

The exception: Exception calling ".ctor" with "1" argument(s): "Stream was not readable." occurs when using multiple files with Compress-Archive and one or more are open.

You can check if the files are not locked before piping them to Compress-Archive.

$items = Get-ChildItem -Path $path
[System.Collections.ArrayList]$itemsToCompress = @()
[System.Collections.ArrayList]$itemsToNotCompress = @()

foreach ($item in $items){
    Try {
        # Checking File Mode and Access
        $FileStream = [System.IO.File]::Open($item.FullName,'Open','Read')
        if ($null -ne $FileStream){
            $FileStream.Close()
            $FileStream.Dispose()
            $itemsToCompress += $item
        }
    }
    Catch {
        $itemsToNotCompress += $item
    }
}

$itemsToCompress | Compress-Archive -DestinationPath $archivefile -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Rob Breidecker · Answer 2 · 2020-07-30T23:47:20.257

You can check the $Error object. If it is populated after the compress call, then an error occurred and you can take appropriate action.

$error.clear()
Get-ChildItem "C:\folder" | Compress-Archive -DestinationPath "C:\file.zip"
if ($error[0] -ne $null) {
    # Take appropriate action here
}

See this thread for more information. https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/2026265-checking-the-success-or-failure-of-compress-archive

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 08 '18 at 14:07

0

Since files that are used by another process can still be read I assume the problem is having insufficient privileges.

Try starting PowerShell as Administrator (Search for PowerShell -> Right click -> Run as Administrator).

answered Feb 08 '18 at 14:07

Tal Borenstein

1

I am administrator and fixed that example and I running all as administrator by default... – LamiX Feb 08 '18 at 14:23

Compress-Archive error: PermissionDenied

3 Answers3

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