How to Fix ERROR_DRIVE_LOCKED 108 (0x6C) on Windows 11

If you see error 108 (0x6C) ERROR_DRIVE_LOCKED with an error message, The disk is in use or locked by another process; it could be due to corrupted system files, outdated Windows OS, or underlying disk issues.

To begin with, restart your computer and disconnect all the external peripherals connected to your system except the mouse and keyboard.

How can I fix 108 (0x6C) ERROR_DRIVE_LOCKED?

1. Check for Windows updates

1. Press Windows + I to launch the Windows Settings app.
2. Navigate to Windows Update, and then click the Check for updates button.
3. If an update is available, click Download & install to get it.
4. You should check for driver updates too; for that, click Advanced options on the Windows Update.
5. Locate Additional options and click Optional updates.
6. If an update is available, select it and click Download & install.
7. Once the update is installed, restart your PC

2. Update/reinstall the problematic drivers

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run console.
2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to launch the Device Manager app.
3. Expand the categories one by one to locate a device related to the problematic driver (to spot it, look for a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark).
4. Right-click it and select Update driver from the context menu.
5. Click Search automatically for drivers.
6. Now, follow the on-screen instructions to let Windows find a suitable driver version for your device. If there is more than one problematic driver, repeat the process to update them as well.

If there is no update available, you need to reinstall the driver. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Open the Device Manager app using the steps from the above method.
2. Locate the problematic driver, right-click it, and select Uninstall device from the context menu.
3. Click Uninstall again to proceed.
4. Once uninstalled, go to Action and choose Scan for hardware changes from the drop-down menu to reinstall the driver.

Alternatively, if Windows cannot find a better version of your driver, you can manually install it from the manufacturer’s website or use a third-party driver updater tool to get the latest version on your computer safely.

3. Run the System file checker scan

1. Press the Windows key, type cmd in the search box, and click Run as administrator to launch Command Prompt with administrative rights.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command to clean up the Windows image to fix the issues to ensure your Windows functions properly and hit Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
3. Wait for the command to complete, then copy & paste the following command to repair or restore the corrupted system files and press Enter:sfc /scannow
4. Wait for the scan to complete, then reboot your PC to let the changes take effect.

4. Restore your system to previous state

NOTE

Before proceeding with these steps, ensure you have saved all your work and note the names of newly installed apps and system settings preferences.

1. Press the Windows key, type control panel in the search box, and click Open.
2. Select Large icons for View by, then click Recovery.
3. On the following screen, click the Open System Restore link.
4. Select Choose a different restore point in the System Restore window and click Next.  
5. You will get a list of restore points available. Select the oldest or most recent restore point before you saw the ERROR_DRIVE_LOCKED issue, and click Next.
6. Click Finish to start the restoration process.

Windows will restart and restore the system settings to the previous version. This process may take some time depending on your device condition, so don’t turn off your compute. Once your computer restarts, go to Settings, click Windows Update, and then Check for Updates. If an update is available, Click Download & Install to get the latest Windows updates.

In case you see the System Restore message wasn’t completed successfully after the restart, we recommend you check out this informative guide for solutions.

If nothing helped you fix the issue, you can try resetting your computer; you can follow the detailed steps using this guide. This isn’t the only issue you can encounter, and recently we covered Error_Lock_Failed, so don’t miss it.

Did we miss any step that helped you fix the ERROR_DRIVE_LOCKED issue? If so, feel free to mention it in the comments section below. We will add it to the list.