Can't save spreadsheets... file in use

[cmatera]

We have a 2003 Server in a LAN environment. Some of our users are
trying to save changes to a spreadsheet using Office 2003SP3. When
the user tries to save the changes, the error msg from excel is "can't
save - file in use." Copying the folder down to the local machine and
copying it back up seems to work. However, simply working from the
server does not work.

Drives are mapped to letters i.e.: G:\ = \\servername\group\directory

and the permissions are setup correctly, in fact this hasn't been an
issue until last week.

Running Process Explorer from sysinternals on the server doesn't show
any locks or handles on the file.

Disabling our A/V scanner does not work. A reboot of the server will
fix the issue...however this is less than desirable. We're running
windows 2003R2 SP2, and our client machines are running XP Pro SP2.
Has anyone experienced this, and does anyone have suggestions?

Thanks!

Chris Matera

 

[Kevin B]

It sounds like there is more than one user accessing the file and file
sharing is not turned on.

Have all users close the file and then open the file on a single computer
and do the following:

Click TOOLS on the menu
Select SHARE WORKBOOK
On the EDITING tab of the dialog box, click the ALLOW CHANGES BY... check
box to turn on sharing.
Click the ADVANCED tab and set the TRACK, UPDATE & CONFLICTING changes
options to suit your taste and click OK to exit the dialog box.

Save the file and notify all users that they can now have at it...