Eclipse - "Workspace in use or cannot be created, chose a different one." [duplicate]

Question

Right answer can be found in this (duplicate) question.

I reproduced the answer here (and it works!):

Just delete the .lock file in the .metadata directory in your eclipse workspace directory

I've seen 3 other fixes so far:

1. in .metadata/, rm .lock file
2. if 1) doesn't work, try end process javaw.exe etc. to exit the IDE
3. if 1)&2) doesn't work, try rm .log file in .metadata/, and double check .plugin/.
4. This always worked for me: relocate .metadata/, open and close eclipse, then overwrite .metadata back

The solution boils down to clean up the .metadata folder with correct contents

Sometimes deleting the .lock file does not work. You can try this:

Remove RECENT_WORKSPACES line from eclipse/configuration/.settings/org.eclipse.ui.ide.prefs

for windows users: In case of you can't remove .lock file and it gives you the following:

And you know that eclipse is already closed, just open Task Manager then processes then end precess for all eclipse.exe occurrences in the processes list.

Workspaces can only be open in one copy of eclipse at once. Further, you took away your own write access from the looks of it. All the users in question have to have the 'admin' group for what you did to even work a little.

Running eclipse in Administrator Mode fixed it for me. You can do this by [Right Click] -> Run as Administrator on the eclipse.exe from your install dir.

I was on a working environment with win7 machine having restrictive permission. I also did remove the .lock and .log files but that did not help. It can be a combination of all as well that made it work.

An additional reason could be that you're pointing to a workspace on a drive that no longer exists, thinking that you're choosing the valid one. For instance, for me the workspace used to exist on the F drive, but now it is on my D drive. Even though I don't have the F drive anymore it is still listed as a workspace I once used during Eclipse startup. When I choose this old workspace Eclipse complains that the workspace is "in use", which is very strange.