[diggeryo]

I have Office 2007 (with SP1 and fully updated) installed on an XP Professional machine (with SP2 and fully updated).

I have a Word 2007 document (named Work.docx) that I open, edit, and save to daily. Though it is NOT read-only, it's probably worth noting that I have a password on this file, so someone who does not know the password won't be able to open the document. The document is saved on a location on my hard drive (in a sub-folder of the My Documents folder). It is NOT located on a network drive.

Every once in a while (maybe every couple weeks)--I can't find any rhyme or reason as to why it happens--when I go to save the file using the save icon in the title bar, Word gives me a message saying "The file is read only." I then have to save the file using another file name (Work2.docx, for example). If I then open the newly created file (Work2.docx) and attempt to save it using the original file name (Work.docx), it will save it without a problem. There will be no warning that the file is read-only. I will then have no problem for a couple weeks until this same issue ocurrs.

I did some searching on Yahoo but can't seem to find my specific problem addressed. If anyone has any suggestions, it would be most appreciated.

thanks,
mike.

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The "read only" error is misleading. You'll get this when you try to save a Word document which you've opened from within a compressed archive such as from within a zip-folder. To avoid this problem you need to 'unzip' the document before opening it, edit it, save it (you won't get the error), then re-zip it.

[pip22]

The "read only" error is misleading. You'll get this when you try to save a Word document which you've opened from within a compressed archive such as from within a zip-folder. To avoid this problem you need to 'unzip' the document before opening it, edit it, save it (you won't get the error), then re-zip it.

[diggeryo]

Hi Pip,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, my file is not located within a ZIP file. It is saved directly in a folder on my hard disk.

I should also point out that before this problem ocurrs, I am able to save the file succesfully within the same instance of Word. In other words, the issue doesn't happen only the first time I open the file. I am able to save it until, for whatever reason, Word decides to tell me it's read-only.

thanks,
mike.

[timroberts]

I have the same problem-- working on a docx for hours having to save to another name many times to avoid the "read only" bit getting set...
Somehow the system is setting this as we work on the docx-- maybe related to search or some service that is setting this in the background...

[AlErT]

hello

I have a Word 2007 document (named Work.docx) that I open, edit, and save to daily. Though it is NOT read-only, it's probably worth noting that I have a password on this file, so someone who does not know the password won't be able to open the document.

timroberts can you tell me wether your file is password protected or not.

thanks

[AlErT]

The "read only" error is misleading. You'll get this when you try to save a Word document which you've opened from within a compressed archive such as from within a zip-folder. To avoid this problem you need to 'unzip' the document before opening it, edit it, save it (you won't get the error), then re-zip it.

DOCX files are in a compressed format, which WinRar can open. It sounds as
though you have WinRar set to be the default program for opening DOCX files
rather than Word 2007. Repairing Word 2007 should refix the registry
entries - if not re-assign DOCX to Word via Windows Explorer. (Right Click -
Open With > Word 2007 > Check always use this application.)

please let me know if these steps solve your problem or not

thanks

[benyneb]

I have the same problem.
my file is not compressed in zip, nor is docx associated with zip program.
and it happens from time to time. i can't tell when i can save and when I have to save under a different name.

Office 2007 sucks.
it takes me now extra clicks to get what I want.

[benyneb]

i did another searh online and found some other information.

please unchick "allow save from background" option from advance tab of Options.

some people say this is a bug that Word auto save has some conflicts with your manual save (ctrl + S). my problem is gone temporarily. i'm not sure if the problem will come back.

[independentscholar]

Vista, Office home and student. Saving in either docx or doc, Word (and I understand also Excel) will manually save, save, save....then decide the file is read-only although the read only box is NOT checked in Properties.

MS stuff is crap anyway, but this is really tough....I'm a writer and need to save files all the time.

MS's "help" pages are worthless....can't communicate with them directly unless I pay...

The problem did NOT exist before I had the hard drive wiped due to Vista errors...installed Open Office....then reinstalled Office. I'm wondering if there's a conflict with Open Office -- maybe MS's way of keeping us from using OO?

If anyone else has this problem, do they also use OO?

All ideas welcomed.

[Jakester26]

I have this problem, i.e. Word 2007 opening DOCX files are read-only, from time to time. I have not been able to pin down the steps that led to this. However, I have found a relatively simple way to deal with it.

1. Select File -> Save As (or it's new Apple-like ergo brain-dead equivalent)
2. Select the file's name in the list.
3. Click OK
4. When the overwrite warning comes up, click on OK.

So far that has worked.

Now if Microsoft could just get over Apple Envy...

[GRFARB]

Just hide the preview pane while exploring windows. The problem of "The file is read only" will be solved.