"C:...\<filename.doc> is being used by Laptop. Do you want to make a copy?"

Lately, every time I try to open a Word document, any Word document, it comes up with the error, "C:...\<filename.doc> is being used by Laptop. Do you want to make a copy? ". I have to cancel it each time, annoying me. The files are not Read-only. This never used to happen.

TIA.

 

Do you have
- a user named laptop
- a networked PC named laptop
- your problem PC named laptop

Harry, you get some of the most interesting problems. Fun to work on but probably not as much fun for you.

 

Hi Newt,

Thanks for the lightning-fast reply! I most appreciate it.

hehehe, I should have clarified! The problem PC is a Dell laptop, and is named simply "Laptop ". It is on my LAN at home with three desktops and two laptops. I log in as "Administrator" with no password.

Yes, indeed, I do get some weird ones which completely baffle me, but thanks to experts such as you and others here, I feel confident I can resolve almost any problem.

Hope this helps.

Thanks.

 

OK. A couple of easy and non-destructive things to try first.

- open a cmd (DOS) window via start => run => cmd and OK.

- key in chkdsk /r and if you have more than one hard drive, do one for each drive letter so chkdsk c: /r etc. Your system drive and any others running parts of the OS like a pagefile will inform you they can't do the deed without a reboot so tell the thing to do it at next boot then reboot.

- Once the chkdsk has finished and you are logged on as Administrator, open windows explorer, right-click on a drive letter, left-click on properties and somewhere under the security tab (probably an advanced button) you should see a way to Take Ownership of the drive contents. Do that and force it to push ownership to all sub-folders.

The above may cure your ills. If not, the next time you get the error open your event logs (start => run => eventvwr.msc and OK) then locate an event that has details on that error. Open the event, click on the icon below the up/down arrows (sends a text copy to the clipboard) and paste the info here.

 

Thanks, Newt. I will try that and let you know.

Regards,

 

What version of office are you using?

There was a problem with older version of office and the TEMP environment variable. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/173547/EN-US/

Another thing to try, if you are running Office 95, 97, & 2000. is winword /unregserver followed by winword /regserver

 

Hi Newt,

I tried what you mentioned. Did not work. Ben, I also discovered it wasn't an environment-related problem, either. I fixed it, and the fix was very simple. Here is how:

As seen at the bottom of the page at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q200915/

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate and select the following registry key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\open\command
If you find that the (Default) data string looks like this:
"D:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\winword.exe" /n "%1 "
you should change the string to look like this:
"D:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\Winword.exe" /n
To change the (Default) data string, follow these steps:
a. Click to select (Default).
b. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
c. In the Value data box, delete the "%1" and then click OK.
d. On the Registry menu, click Exit.

Case closed. Problem resolved

Thanks for both your kind help.