File completely un-accessible

[Hermanator]

Hello all,

I have a strange problem, and have absolutely no clue how to solve it.

There are a number of files on my HD, that are completely un-accessible. I can't open them and I can't copy them to any other location, with any program.

I first had this problem about a week ago. It concerned an Excel .xls file. I was unable to open it in Excel, and unable to copy it to another location. It didn't matter what program I used, explorer or Total Commander. When I tried to open the file in Excel, it just freezes. And any program that I use to try and copy it, also freezes.
In the end I gave up and just deleted the map that the files were in. I tought that the cause of the problem was that I renamed the map, while some files inside were open in another program. (Although i think that normally you shouln't be able to change a folder's name while some files are open.)

But now I have the exact same problem again. And coincedently again with an Excel .xls file! But this time the file is in a map that I haven't renamed in a long time. I really can't use the file. I can't open it, nor copy it.
I can run chkdsk and scandisk. They both give no errors. Since the HD is a Wester Digital WD800JD, I have scanned the disk with "Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics". It also finds no errors. The HD is only half a year old anyway.

I am a bit puzzled by this problem. The fact that it's the 2nd time that I encounter this error worries me a bit. Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? Any suggestions?
Could it be that MS Excel somehow makes a mistake when it saves a file, after which it's not accessible anymore?

Many thanks!

 

[jimp56]

what exactly are you mapped to? is it a server or another workstation? Is the file accessible locally on the other computer?

also- sometimes the on-access scanner of virus scan programs can take awhile to release a file when being scanned -- is this a large file over a slow network?

you might disable (temporarily) any virus scanners to see if it makes a difference.

 

[linney]

There are a number of files on my HD, that are completely un-accessible"

Are these all Excel files or various ones?

can not open excel .xls file

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...+.xls+open+problem+xp&rnum=5#061c7c382bd69f08

Are your Office programs all up to date with fixes and patches?

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP (Q308421)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/4/21.asp

 

[Hermanator]

Sorry, I haven't been completely clear.
Although I'm on a network, the problem isn't network related. Since the file is located on the hard disk, and can't be copied anywhere else (every program that tries to copy it freezes).

In the mean time I have found this article on MS Knowledge Base.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=213951

This is from the MS KB article:
Excel uses a technique called "back seeking" when reading and writing files. (...) This "jumping back" part may be what is causing the intermittent corruption of files especially when you are saving to a floppy disk drive.

This could very well be the problem that I'm having, since in both cases, it concerned rather big Excel files (+- 1 MB), that I updated and saved again very regularly.
However, the document is about Excel 2000, while I use Excel 2002 (Office XP). It also suggests some testing methods, buth they only relate to Win 95 and Win 98 while I use Win XP.

 

[linney]

Have you tried the MS Office forum with this question?

http://www.tek-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=68

You could at least try Safe Mode as mentioned in 213951.