the action can't be completed because the folder or a file in it is open in another program

This may also be helpful:

Open Windows explorer.

Click ‘Organize -> Folder and search options’ (or ‘View -> Folder options’).

Select the ‘View’-tab.

In the ‘Advanced settings’ window, disable ‘Launch folder windows in a separate process’.

You may need to force restart all explorer instances (via task manager) or reboot your computer if the setting is not applied immediately.

Thank you, this did the trick for me. What about this fix that makes it work. Is windows locking the process?

Thanks Taylor42, this "worked" for me most of the times. It still pretty tiring that we need to do this everytime, and totally discouraging to see that it is happening in both windows 8 and windows 8.1 even right from a clean install... (Microsoft posted somewhere that they had seen that the activity we do most is renaming and reclassifying files and folders...) but still thanks Taylor for alleviating the pain a little bit. 

Regarding Microsoft I supposed that allowing you/them to compile data from our PCs would help them/you detect the real issues to solve them... I know this happens to everyone who wants to work efficiently moving and organizing files (probably not to those who move files just occasionally and with the mouse); it is not dependant on the computer, so please. It is better late than never.

Yep, this has worked for me without even restarting explorer. Not everytime, but definitely an easy try. Thanks a mil! Try this folks.

We keep checking back here because we are all furious about this situation, Mafury. But we are not Microsoft, and you are not the moderator of this forum. And we aren’t here to tell each other what we can and cannot do here. You seem to have nothing “clever” you wish to contribute, but might you consider sparing us your overbearing griping? Love the idea that I “took something away” from you. The workaround I mentioned is a standard Windows way out of Windows Explorer tie-ups of all types in all versions. Deplorably the locked file and folder outrage hasn’t been fixed in 8.1 either. None of us posting here are in a position to change that I don’t think. But we can choose between snapping at each other’s heels or exercising a little anger control. (Gave you a bug did I? Yippee!)