MICROSOFT WORD 97 4

[gbstelecom]

Dear Sirs,

I a using Microsoft Word 97. When I open a file, a dialog box pops up that reads:

C:\...\xyzfile.doc is being used by joe smith. Do you want to make a copy?

*xyzfile.doc has been used as an example

**joe smith is a fictious name used as an example.

This seems to have happened when word files from one computer were backed up and moved to another. Regardless of whether a copy is made or not it always does the same thing when a Microsoft Word 97 file is opened. Any suggestions of how to make this go away?? And does anyone know why it is doing this?

gbs

 

[TonyJollans]

Hi gbstelecom,

Is xyzfile.doc always the same file? It sounds like it was in use (at least as far as the system saw it) when you did the backup.

Can you delete it (and any temporary word files in the same directory) and copy another version from the original computer. (You might get away with just deleting the temporary word files)

Enjoy,
Tony

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[gbstelecom]

Tony,

Wow, it seems I have found a problem with no answer, thats unusual on here. No, there are no temp files in the same folder. And an exhaustive search shows no temp .doc files on the computer anywhere. Does this have anything to do with the fact that word was installed on one computer using one "author" name and then on the new computer there is another "author" name?? Tony, the files were not in use and the original problem occurred when Windows on one machine 'crashed' so I 'resurrected' windows on that machine. Then I reinstalled Word 97. The problem started occuring then. It is of no serious consequence because the files are still accessible and saveable. But it is a real nuisance. Plus, when the files are sent via email to another person that same screen pops up on their computer. Please let me know what you think.

gbs

 

[Madawc]

You could try Save As. Or even select all and paste to a document of your own.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK)

 

[TonyJollans]

Hi gbstelecom,

Temp files are not necessarily .doc, but I do think they all have a tilde (~) in the name - it was only aguess anyway - lol.

It shouldn't be anything to do with how Word was installed, but it IS probably something to do with Windows crashing.

What is in your document? Could you copy and paste its content to a new document? Or does it contain a lot of styles and the like?

Enjoy,
Tony

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[TonyJollans]

Just pressed Submit and I saw Madawc beat me to the suggestion. Great minds, and all that ...

Enjoy,
Tony

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[SimonDavis]

Hmm. Foggy brain says moving files from one comuter to the other might make them read only, although you should get an error to that effect, not that someone else is using it.

Is this a Win 9x, 2k, XP system, or an NT 2k 2003 server? NTFS or FAT?

Try going to the directory the files are in thru explorer, and make sure the file attributes are all set to allow read / write, and that appropriate permissions are set on the files.

 

[gbstelecom]

Thanks for all of the comments. Ok I did try re-saving the documents, using save-as. I still get the same effect. Also the file attribute "read-only" is not checked. I am still unclear what caused this problem... When i first had a problem on the old machine, I saved al of the docuemnts and reloaded windows. I am notusing that machine anymore. I had the problem there after reloading and on the new machine. I think that for some reason WORD is "thinking" that the file is being used by another person due to something in the original configuration after the first wondows crash. I hope this helps.

gbs

 

[gbstelecom]

Tony,

I may just have to give up and rebuild my doucmets...but as you supposed their are graphics invloved nad there are several hundred of them. They are "proposals"...

gbs

 

[michbar]

This is a known bug with Word 97. It was fixed in Word 97 SR2. You can download Word 97 SR2 from Microsoft.


Microsoft KB article 174304

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;174304

 

[gbstelecom]

I downloaded the patch and................


PROBLEM SOLVED.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH michbar, and the rest for all of your help......

gbs