How to install an apk on my Emulator if I get: Snapshot storage already in use?

Question

This is the error message I have met when I run my app, and my logcat is empty

    -08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] ------------------------------
[2011-08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] Android Launch!
[2011-08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] adb is running normally.
[2011-08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] Performing com.pack.android.TestCityActivity activity launch
[2011-08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] Automatic Target Mode: launching new emulator with compatible AVD 'my_device'
[2011-08-09 11:19:22 - TestCity] Launching a new emulator with Virtual Device 'my_device'
[2011-08-09 11:19:24 - Emulator] WARNING: Data partition already in use. Changes will not persist!
[2011-08-09 11:19:24 - Emulator] ko:Snapshot storage already in use: C:\Documents and Settings\Ram\.android\avd\my_device.avd/snapshots.img

Answer 1

I had the same problem. Turned out to be caused (in part) by leftover lock files from a previous run (which may explain why ntc's 'wipe user data' fix didn't work for me).

Look in the folder shown in the error message (that is, without the snapshots.img bit). You should see several folders ending in .lock

each folder may contain a file called 'pid'. If so, delete the 'pid' files. That allows the emulator to start, but it stuck at the plain text 'android' stage, so I deleted the various .img files and tried again and the emulator started OK.