GitHub Atom throwing error when tring to save file

Question

I am trying to save a simple HTML file in GitHub's Atom text editor, but I get the following error:

Unable to save file 'C:\Users\Alexander\Desktop\Looking good website\products.html'
EBUSY: resource busy or locked, open 'C:\Users\Alexander\Desktop\Looking good website\products.html'

This seems to be a known issue when I check the atom git repo. See here. Now somehow even though there are multiple issues opened with the same problem on the atom git repo I don't see a solution.

How do I solve this error?
I am not sure how to replicate this issue but initially the file was saving fine, but now suddenly I have this problem and I don't see any obvious solution.

screenshot :

Can somebody help please?

Re-creation of error ::

Error in Atom :

What i see in process explorer::

Answer 1

Hate to necro an old thread but I just ran into this myself and believe I have found the problem; the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer.

Either deselect the file in Explorer after opening or turn off the preview pane altogether.

Answer 2

I was able to solve this issue by closing all applications using the file. I was viewing a webpage locally, so I killed the browser and windows explorer then Atom let me save the file.

Answer 3

For some reason Atom doesn't want to save files, that you have currently open in your Windows Explorer. At least that was the issue on my workspace.

Answer 4

Get Process Explorer from LINK and use Ctrl+F to find the process keeping the file open (see MS support link)

Then tell me what you see, and I'll expand the answer :)

Answer 5

My anti-virus (Bitdefender) thought atom.exe was an unsafe application so it kicked on Ransomware protection.

Hope this helps somebody

Answer 6

I’ve been having the same issue, and I found what was causing it for me.

I had Windows Defender Ransomware Protection enabled on my computer, and I was trying to save to a protected folder. Even though I had whitelisted the atom app, and didn’t receive the usual warning from Windows, it was preventing me from writing to the location. Disabled Ransomware protection, and suddenly Atom can save there again.

Not sure if you’re in the same boat, but maybe give it a try if you have Ransomware Protection enabled. Or maybe some other anti-virus with the same feature?