I'm using the TFS online and I checked out some source files but I have to format my PC and lost all the source workspace. These files remain checked out and I can't unlock this files.
1 Answers
If you login into the source control with the admin account, you will be able to force undo checkout, or check in with any file you provide.
Just try below ways to unlock the file:
tf lock /lock: none
Please see Lock Command for details:
To use the lock command, you must have the Lock permission set to Allow. Having the Unlock other user's changes permission set to Allow is required to remove a lock held by another user if you do not have Write permission for that user's workspace
tf lock /lock:none /workspace:workspacename [/recursive][/login:username,[password]] [/collection:TeamProjectCollectionUrl]
tf undo
The undo command removes any locks on the items. See Undo commandTo unlock individual files run the command below in Visual Studio Command Prompt:
tf undo "file_path" /workspace:workspace_name
e.g.:
tf undo $/S/B/ABC/dotNET/Symphony/Tools/xyz/abc/Abc.dll /workspace:Houst01
here it will unlock Abc.dll which is inside abc folder.
To unlock the whole folder in one shot:
tf undo $/S/B/ABC/dotNET/Symphony/Tools/xyz/abc/* /workspace:Houst01
here it will unlock all files which is inside abc folder.
Force remove the workspace (See Deleting a TFS workspace from the command line for details.)
You can also unlock other users file using TFS Sidekick tools:
It gives you a graphical interface to do all these commands, which makes it much easier to perform these tasks.
Other related threads:

- 28,712
- 2
- 33
- 55