W2k server not releasing file locks on Excel XP

[dellboy]

I have inherited a problem. A W2k server running AD etc, 10 workstations running XP O/S and also Office XP. The problem lies with Excel file locks not being released from the server. Users can open the Excel spreadsheets and close them BUT the server does not recognise/accept the file closure and therefore retains the file as being open.

I have tried numerous tests of opening and closing, open on one PC close on another PC etc but there is no pattern, the only constant is the fact that the server does not release the file locks, the server still sees the files as in use and this will cause the PCs to lock when they try accessing a closed Excel doc, the server still seeing the doc as open.

The Excel documents were initially created on Office 97, I think, as I said I inherited this problem, I have read elsewhere to check that the PCs are running SP2 for Office XP which I think they are.

If anyone has any suggestions or pointers I would be greatful, from viewing discussions boards this does seem a fairly common problem.

Cheers

 

[winterfrost]

Wow! I actually found the right one... And actually, it's only been about 16 hours, but the client has said they have already seen a noticeable improvement by disabling the SMB signing as described in

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q331519

I was wondering why that Q329170 link was broken. The funny thing is I was reading an article over at lockergnome.com that said that this patch has been available for more than half a year, but you still had to contact Microsoft for it. I was going to make that call today, but I guess I'll hold off.

In the interim, the workaround seems to work very well.

 

[saab95]

This might help!

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q814112

 

[krid]

I had a similar problem where more than one Win98se user would be allowed to access an open Excel 97 file on a Window 2000 SP3 server. The server would not properly release the Excel file when a user closed it. I solved the problem by moving the share that contained the Excel files in question to another W2K server with no activity on it, i.e. our nghtly backup server. Ever since I did this, all has been working great for approx 6 months now. For some reason the Excel files were not released in time by the busy server (approx 95 shares on it total) but the other server with just that one share worked perfectly. I realize this isn't the greatest fix, but it if you have the resources within your environment, I recommend trying this one out. Peace out.