Read-Only Files

[registrarlaurie]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel EVERY time I open a document in Word 2008 it is telling me when I edit it, then try to save it that "This file is read-only. To save a copy, click OK, and give the document a new name in the Save dialog box." I have renamed the file at least 5 different times because of this, and am running out of different names to call the file!

I am running Mac OS X Version 10.6.2 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac Version 12.2.0 Latest installed update 12.2.1.

When I click ok - to give document a new name the save: Microsoft Word Dialog box comes up and tells me that a compatibility check is recommended. I run the compatibility check and it tells me no issues were found. If I click save and try to name it the same name - it does not work. If I click cancel, and try to save again - same error message. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[John McGhie]

You're not telling us "Where" you are attempting to save the document, but I
suspect you are saving to a network.

Disregard the compatibility check and Save-As to a new file name.

If you are saving to a network, it's a bug: send your system administrator
in here and we'll try to point them to a work-around.

Cheers

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel
EVERY time I open a document in Word 2008 it is telling me when I edit it,
then try to save it that "This file is read-only. To save a copy, click OK,
and give the document a new name in the Save dialog box." I have renamed the
file at least 5 different times because of this, and am running out of
different names to call the file!

I am running Mac OS X Version 10.6.2 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac Version 12.2.0 Latest installed update 12.2.1.

When I click ok - to give document a new name the save: Microsoft Word Dialog
box comes up and tells me that a compatibility check is recommended. I run
the compatibility check and it tells me no issues were found. If I click save
and try to name it the same name - it does not work. If I click cancel, and
try to save again - same error message. Any help would be appreciated.

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[RobR]

I too, am having this problem. I administer a Windows network here at a State
University. My boss has the only Mac in our department. After upgrading to
10.6 he started experiencing this issue. He's saving to a network share on a
Windows 2003 server. We are using AD. There is a utility called DAVE fro
Thursby Software that does 'resolve' the issue. We used a trial version. Our
legal red tape makes it difficult to purchase software here so we were unable
to purchase the software. I've been looking for a resolution for a few
months. I would appreciate info regarding a work around. - Rob

 

[registrarlaurie]

I am saving the document to my local computer only. If I do as you say and disregard the compatibility check, and click save-as, that means every time I open a document, I have to save it as something different. That is NOT going to work. I don't want to have the same document with minor edits saved 3 different ways, then having to pick the latest document from the date/time stamp. There has to be a better way.

 

[John McGhie]

If you set the owner of the folder he is sharing to to be "Network Service"
it will work.

There's a procedure telling you exactly how on www.word.mvps.org in the
Macintosh section. Sorry, I am on the train at the moment, and I can't
remember the details.

I too, am having this problem. I administer a Windows network here at a State
University. My boss has the only Mac in our department. After upgrading to
10.6 he started experiencing this issue. He's saving to a network share on a
Windows 2003 server. We are using AD. There is a utility called DAVE fro
Thursby Software that does 'resolve' the issue. We used a trial version. Our
legal red tape makes it difficult to purchase software here so we were unable
to purchase the software. I've been looking for a resolution for a few
months. I would appreciate info regarding a work around. - Rob

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[John McGhie]

No: Local computer is a different error.

You are an update behind: put the latest update in: it has fixes in this
specific area.

Then use Disk Utility to repair permissions. And then reboot.

This may resolve the error. Generally, it's a locking or permissions
problem, and it can be "anything" including backup or scanning software
locking the file.

Cheers

I am saving the document to my local computer only. If I do as you say and
disregard the compatibility check, and click save-as, that means every time I
open a document, I have to save it as something different. That is NOT going
to work. I don't want to have the same document with minor edits saved 3
different ways, then having to pick the latest document from the date/time
stamp. There has to be a better way.

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Crazy_African]

I am having a similar issue, on multiple OS 10.6 machines with Office 2008. I
have an important question. Is your Mac bound to an Active Directory domain?
All the machines I have that are showing the issue are bound to the Active
Directory domain. My 10.5 machines that are bound to the domain and are using
Office 2008 are not showing the issue.

If they are bound to your domain, try one thing to see whether you issue and
mine are related. Select the file that is read only. Get info on it. Look at
the permissions. Don't change anything. Just look at the permissions under
"Sharing and Permissions" in the get Info window. Then open the document, add
a couple of characters and save. If it saves, but then turns the document
into read only, you have the same issue I have.

I have a lot more info on this issue, although I don't quite have a viable
resolution. Let me know if this issue is related. Thanks, Ilan

 

[furly37]

We are having this issue with our 10.5 users on a 2k8 AD server accessing a 2k3 file server. When you go to save it gives the same, permissions error and it creates a random Unix file with just numbers as a file name. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[furly37]

Finally found the article that John was speaking of. It is found here http://word.mvps.org/Mac/CantSaveToServer.html

 

[Crazy_African]

I have done a little testing. I initially tried giving NETWORK SERVICE
ownership, but it didn't work. I figured out an extra piece. The NETWORK
SERVICE account needs to have ownership of the root of the share. Here's the
scenario:
On the server (member of 2k3 domain), a folder called "Level 1" has a bunch
of files and a folder called "Level 2" inside it. The "Level 1" folder is
shared as a share called Level 1 and the "Level 2" folder is also shared as
a share called Level 2. NETWORK SERVICE is given ownership of the Level 2
folder.

A Word .docx file is in the Level 2 folder.

Connect to the Level 1 share and navigate to the Level 2 folder. Also
connect to the Level 2 share directly.

You are now looking at the same file, but connected to it in two ways.
Opening the file from the Level 1 share will allow you to save one, turning
it into a read-only file. Opening it from the Level 2 share instead allows
you to save as much as you want.

If you give NETWORK SERVICE ownership of the Level 1 folder, then the
problem is gone. You can save as much as you want, whether you connect to
Level 1 and navigate to the file, or connect to Level 2 directly.

** There is a warning here. If you have a folder within these shares where
you have removed permissions for most accounts, including administrators, you
can blow away the permissions by taking ownership. If the server does not
have permissions to the folder (if the managers have permissions but systems
administrators do not for confidentiality reasons), the server can still take
ownership. If you do take ownership, it will remove the access that was set
up prior to taking ownership. That can be a problem if you have customized
permissions in that way. We have a few folders here and there that are
protected in such ways.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Crazy African:

I will add your comments to the article on
http://word.mvps.org/Mac/CantSaveToServer.html

If you would like to email me with your real name and how you would like to
be credited, I can add those details too

Many thanks

I have done a little testing. I initially tried giving NETWORK SERVICE
ownership, but it didn't work. I figured out an extra piece. The NETWORK
SERVICE account needs to have ownership of the root of the share. Here's the
scenario:
On the server (member of 2k3 domain), a folder called "Level 1" has a bunch
of files and a folder called "Level 2" inside it. The "Level 1" folder is
shared as a share called Level 1 and the "Level 2" folder is also shared as
a share called Level 2. NETWORK SERVICE is given ownership of the Level 2
folder.

A Word .docx file is in the Level 2 folder.

Connect to the Level 1 share and navigate to the Level 2 folder. Also
connect to the Level 2 share directly.

You are now looking at the same file, but connected to it in two ways.
Opening the file from the Level 1 share will allow you to save one, turning
it into a read-only file. Opening it from the Level 2 share instead allows
you to save as much as you want.

If you give NETWORK SERVICE ownership of the Level 1 folder, then the
problem is gone. You can save as much as you want, whether you connect to
Level 1 and navigate to the file, or connect to Level 2 directly.

** There is a warning here. If you have a folder within these shares where
you have removed permissions for most accounts, including administrators, you
can blow away the permissions by taking ownership. If the server does not
have permissions to the folder (if the managers have permissions but systems
administrators do not for confidentiality reasons), the server can still take
ownership. If you do take ownership, it will remove the access that was set
up prior to taking ownership. That can be a problem if you have customized
permissions in that way. We have a few folders here and there that are
protected in such ways.

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]