Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

File Locked As Read Only


  • Please log in to reply

#1
magusbuckley

magusbuckley

    Member

  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 626 posts
Hello:

Yesterday, one of our accountants computers locked up. When we got her going again, she was unable to open the Excel Spreadsheet she was in. The error reported that the file was in use by...her! We never could figure it out so simply made a copy of the file. Later in the afternoon, however, it cleared itself up. She was able to modify the original file again. Today, someone received the same message on another file. Again, it claims to be locked by the user of the frozen computer. When we looked at the file, it says it was last modified yesterday. I assume this is part of the same issue. So, the question is this: How can we get that file unlocked?

Any and all information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Magus
  • 0

Advertisements


#2
piper

piper

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 2,459 posts
Hi Magus!

Does the locked file reside on a server or the workstation that locked up?

Shut the workstation down for several minutes before powering up again.

If the file is on a server, reboot the server also. You can also go to Computer Manager, System Tools, Shared Folders, Open Files (on a W2k SBS), to see which files are open and by which user. You can right click the file and close it from there.
  • 0

#3
magusbuckley

magusbuckley

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 626 posts
LindaGail:

Thanks for the reply.

The file is on a file server. It's a Server 03 machine. I was able to open a list of open files as you suggested, but when I put the list in order by user name, I didn't see the user's name in the list. I assumed it had cleared itself up as the last file. I dropped by accounting, but they are still unable to access the file. Sounds like we'll have to perform the reboot.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Magus
  • 0

#4
magusbuckley

magusbuckley

    Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • PipPipPip
  • 626 posts
Hello:

We rebooted our file server yesterday afternoon and everything seems to be OK now. If we have anything come up during the day, I'll be sure to post.

Thanks,

Magus
  • 0

#5
piper

piper

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 2,459 posts
Good deal :whistling: We'll be here.
  • 0

#6
fzahidi

fzahidi

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 3 posts
Hello,

we are encountering the same problem "shared excel file locked by another user". And we don't have admin access to server.

how to resolve the issue.

thanks,

FZ
  • 0

#7
Ztruker

Ztruker

    Member 5k

  • Technician
  • 7,091 posts
I would think the same answer would apply, reboot the server.
  • 0

#8
fzahidi

fzahidi

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 3 posts
Here is a solution I found on the MS blog without rebooting the server...

http://blogs.technet...-file-post.aspx

thanks,

FZ
  • 0

#9
Ztruker

Ztruker

    Member 5k

  • Technician
  • 7,091 posts
What in that long list of things to try, actually fixed the problem?
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP