"another user" error message, but not on a network

[Michiburbia_J]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

All of a sudden, I cannot open any Word document without error message saying "another user" is using said document. Asks "Do you want to make a copy?" Click "OK". "Word cannot open this document. The document might be in use or might not be a valid Word document." When I try to quit Word, asks "Do you want to replace the existing "Normal"?

The solutions I've seen to this problem have to do with being on a network, but I am not on a network. There are no other users that would be using these documents.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[CyberTaz]

Is Office fully updated (11.5.1)? How about OS X (10.4.11)? Have you
repaired disk permissions recently? When did you last restart your Mac?

Try/confirm al of that & see how things go... It sounds like it's most
probably a permissions issue.

Let us know how you make out.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

The fact that you are NOT on a network is slightly misleading

This error is caused by "you" the logged-in user not having sufficient
permission to access the documents in question. On a modern Mac, there is
actually a "server" known as the "File System" which is the exact same thing
as you get on a network file server. And yours won't play...

Bob suggested that you repair permissions: what happened when you did?

Could there be two users logged on to your computer (Using Fast User
Switching)? If there, are, could Time Machine be running in one of them,
locking all the documents?

Cheers

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Intel

All of a sudden, I cannot open any Word document without error message saying
"another user" is using said document. Asks "Do you want to make a copy?"
Click "OK". "Word cannot open this document. The document might be in use or
might not be a valid Word document." When I try to quit Word, asks "Do you
want to replace the existing "Normal"?

The solutions I've seen to this problem have to do with being on a network,
but I am not on a network. There are no other users that would be using these
documents.

Any ideas? Thanks.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Michiburbia_J]

OS X (10.4.11) is updated, Office is updated (11.5.1, 11.5.0 for Word), I repaired permissions (as far as I know), and have re-started my computer. Same problem exists.

Not only can I not open any old Word docs, I cannot save any new docs. On a possibly related note, my desktop resets when my computer restarts (never did that before, either).

More ideas?

 

[John McGhie]

No more ideas: But the "same" idea is looking more likely to be true.

Somehow, you do not have permission to access your own hard drive! Could
anyone have been playing around with the user permissions on that machine
without your knowledge?

I'm afraid it's time for a trip to the Apple Shop...

Unless someone else can think of anything.

Cheers

OS X (10.4.11) is updated, Office is updated (11.5.1, 11.5.0 for Word), I
repaired permissions (as far as I know), and have re-started my computer. Same
problem exists.

Not only can I not open any old Word docs, I cannot save any new docs. On a
possibly related note, my desktop resets when my computer restarts (never did
that before, either).

More ideas?

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Before you make the trip to the shop launch Disk Utility again & run the
Verify Disk (not Verify Disk Permissions) routine. If it turns up anything
proceed accordingly. I'd also suggest running DiskWarrior if you have it.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Phillip Jones]

Do a get info on your hard drive
open all the little twisty arrows look to see is set to read only.

If so open little pad lock and supply user name and password.

button should be read write, system read write administrator read write,
others read only.

if this is not correct change to as above. quit get info and immediately
go to disk utility then repair permissions. Don't even try to verify. Go
straight to Repair Permissions.

These instructions are for X.3.9. 4.11 may be slightly different just
make sure system and administrator are read write and the first thing
you see is read write.

If you don't do this even disk utility will not work.
You will have to boot from your systems CD and run Disk Utility from
there, otherwise.

I have on rare occasion on X.3.9 had to do this.

No more ideas: But the "same" idea is looking more likely to be true.

Somehow, you do not have permission to access your own hard drive! Could
anyone have been playing around with the user permissions on that machine
without your knowledge?

I'm afraid it's time for a trip to the Apple Shop...

Unless someone else can think of anything.

Cheers

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[Michiburbia_J]

Just a further update on things I've tried:

Moved Preferences folder to desktop; restarted' solved desktop background/dock issue (was losing background pic, dock changes - now background pic and dock changes remain after restart).

Created a new user; Word works for the new user.

Re-installed Office 2004 - didn't help

Something else: one of my Word docs had been saved in my Office 2004 folder (all other docs were in Documents), and it somehow transferred over into the new user's Home File, and I can open it there (though not in the original user Home File). Does that seem strange?

Also, will the Apple Store be able to help me since this seems to be a Word problem? I talked extensively with AppleCare today, and they weren't able to resolve my issue. They said an Archive and Install procedure might be my last resort, but to exhaust all other possibilities first.

Thanks for your patience in responding to these questions.

 

[John McGhie]

Well, there's a lot going on here and I am losing the thread a bit.

If this was a Word issue, Word would not work in the new User ID. That
definitely eliminates Word as the problem. It may be Word preferences, but
it is not Word itself

If AppleCare can't solve it, I would hesitate to suggest that the Apple shop
could. However, there is often a big benefit in being able to see the
screen when working on such problems. There may be indications appearing
that you have not told us about that would tell a professional what was
wrong.

For example, when we came into this problem, I was under the impression that
it was "all" applications, not just Word, that were failing.

You said you moved the "Preferences" folder to the desktop? Which one? If
you moved the Mac HDD:Users:~:Libraryreferences folder, that ruins my next
idea

If AppleCare suggested an Archive and Install, I would tend to go with that.
It's actually very quick, and it will solve the problem "whatever" it is.

Reinstalling never fixes anything on a Mac, you should know that. Who
suggested that? They should be taken out the back and beaten!

Cheers

Just a further update on things I've tried:

Moved Preferences folder to desktop; restarted' solved desktop background/dock
issue (was losing background pic, dock changes - now background pic and dock
changes remain after restart).

Created a new user; Word works for the new user.

Re-installed Office 2004 - didn't help

Something else: one of my Word docs had been saved in my Office 2004 folder
(all other docs were in Documents), and it somehow transferred over into the
new user's Home File, and I can open it there (though not in the original user
Home File). Does that seem strange?

Also, will the Apple Store be able to help me since this seems to be a Word
problem? I talked extensively with AppleCare today, and they weren't able to
resolve my issue. They said an Archive and Install procedure might be my last
resort, but to exhaust all other possibilities first.

Thanks for your patience in responding to these questions.

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]