Excel 2007 File locked for editing by previous user (not current user)

[Gizmo3k]

Hi,

I hope someone can help. I have some spreadsheets stored on a shared network drive (on a Novel server, if this matters). When a user opens up a spreadsheet which has already been opened by another user, they get the usual notification that the file has been locked for editing by 'username'.

For some reason, the username listed doesn't actually belong to the person who currently has the sheet open. It belongs to the person who opened the spreadsheet before the current user.

Eg.

User1 opened the spreadsheet yesterday, then exited it without any problems.
User2 opens the spreadsheet today without any problems.
User3 opens the spreadsheet today, and gets a message saying the file has been locked for editing by 'User1'

Has anyone got any ideas why this might be happening?

cheers,

Gizmo3k

 

[JulieMZ]

We have the same problem in our office, and I have fixed it for a number of our users, but I have yet to figure out what causes the issue in the first place. The issue is simply that the lock file created by Microsoft Office isn't getting deleted for User1 when User1 exits the file. The lock file should be a hidden file found in the same directory as your Office file. If your document is named Document.xls, then the hidden file should be called something like ~$cument.xls. All you need to do is delete that file and open your document again. This fixes the problem, but I'm not sure what is causing that file not to get deleted in the first place. I've spent an hour this morning researching the problem, too, and the only explanation I can find is that it is caused by Office crashing. I don't think that is our issue, though, because our users haven't reported crashes when this happens.

 

[assets]

Is this on a netware server? If so may have an answer

Never give up never give in.

There are no short cuts to anything worth doing

 

[JulieMZ]

Yes, we're networked with Novell, the same as the OP.

 

[assets]

Have a look at my FAQ faq702-7122 it will show you what to change on the client machines. What happens is the data is not written and it still thinks the other user has the file open. So change the 3 setting on ALL people that use the spread sheet. It is a common problem with netware. Even changing to the client bovell sid will fix the problem does not fix it. So change the settings so it writes the information as soon as you press save.

Never give up never give in.

There are no short cuts to anything worth doing