"Read Only" error when attempting to open EXCEL file

[Jim]

I keep a time sheet in an excel file and keep it both on my home computer
hard drive and on a pocket jump drive. I use the jump drive version at client
locations and then copy to my hard drive when I return home.

Yesterday I attempted to access the jump drive version and got the following
error msg.: " 'mm.xls' cannot be accessed. The file may be read only, or you
may be trying to access a read only location..." I tried both at home and at
a client's location. Thank you.

 

[David Biddulph]

The recommendation is not to try to open Excel on removal media such as
floppies (remember them?) or USB sticks. It has been thought to be more
reliable to copy to hard disk and open Excel there. I don't know why (but
hopefully others might?), though obviously if the floppy didn't have room to
open temporary files there might be problems.