Can't open or save documents in Word 2004. Document is in use by'Another User'

[Robert Cherry]

Help,

All of a sudden Word won't open or save documents. It says that the Document
is in use by 'Another User' and then tries to save a new normal. dot.

All is OK with another user on the same machine, but I can't switch
accounts.

I've already:
Repaired Permissions on the disk (booting from OS DVD)
Remove Office completely, restarted and reinstalled.
Reinstalled the OS via Archive and Install, Excel & PowerPoint seem fine.

Any advice would be great!!

Thanks,
Rob Cherry
Email: mvpATrcherry.waitrose.com

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Rob -

Just a few thoughts interjected below;

I've already:
Repaired Permissions on the disk (booting from OS DVD)

Most of the "authorities" recommend that Repair Disk Permissions be done
while running the current OS. The version on the install disk is most likely
a prior version which will not perform the necessary repairs, but may even
cause more anguish as permissions are variable with the OS updates.

Remove Office completely, restarted and reinstalled.

Did you empty the Trash before reinstalling? If not that may inhibit the
reinstallation process. BTW - this is *rarely* among the 'first steps' to be
taken when troubleshooting/fixing problems on the Mac.

Reinstalled the OS via Archive and Install, Excel & PowerPoint seem fine.

Did you choose the option to "preserve user & network settings"? If so you
got a new installation of OS X, but retained the previous settings, which
are most likely the cause - or at least a part - of the problem.

You might want to take a look at this article on the Apple web site:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25508

Also, are we talking locally stored files or network server? What do you
mean by "...can't switch accounts"?

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]]

Hi Robert:

Well, you've certainly gone for the thermonuclear option. Unfortunately, I
think the problem *is* your Normal template, and that will not be replaced
by the process.

Everything else on that machine is either common to the other user, or
unlikely to be involved.

There is a very unlikely scenario where you login as User A, start Word,
Login as User B and start Word. If the templates are shared, Word would
then attempt to lock Normal to both users. That would occur only if you
keep your templates specifically in a common location, and you left Word
running.

BTW: On the Mac, it's Normal template, not Normal.dot. Due to a bug, Word
won't recognise or use Normal template if it has the extension.

Try quitting Word, then deleting Normal and emptying the trash. That might
just fix the problem, and if it doesn't, we'll then know exactly what it
ain't.

BTW: You have to allow Word to save Normal when it wants to do so,
otherwise you continue to fill the system with pending changes.

Cheers

Help,

All of a sudden Word won't open or save documents. It says that the Document
is in use by 'Another User' and then tries to save a new normal. dot.

All is OK with another user on the same machine, but I can't switch
accounts.

I've already:
Repaired Permissions on the disk (booting from OS DVD)
Remove Office completely, restarted and reinstalled.
Reinstalled the OS via Archive and Install, Excel & PowerPoint seem fine.

Any advice would be great!!

Thanks,
Rob Cherry
Email: mvpATrcherry.waitrose.com

--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie <[email protected]>
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410