Word .doc files are erasing themselves!

[Lulu H.]

Problem: Word .doc files on our OS X server delete themselves after
editing then attempting to Save.

Sequence: Open a Word .doc over the network in Word 2001 running in
Classic. Edit the document, then Save. This is the error we get: "Word
cannot complete the operation because too many files are open",
however there are no other files open. The document's name then
changes to something like "Word Work File D_6" (although the number at
the end seems to be random). The file then disappears from the server.
This error is repeatable on all our G4s. If you open the .doc locally
from your own hard drive, the error doesn't happen. Word has plenty
of RAM allocated to it.

Background: Mac G4s running OS X.2.8, on a network with a G4 server
running OS X Server 10.3. Our files are kept on the server, and we
open them over the network.

Word is from Office 2001, running under Classic. We have done the
"update" posted on Microsoft's site. We are unable to upgrade to Word
X at this time, so anyone have any ideas? Please help!

Cheers,
Lulu H.

 

[Beth Rosengard]

Hi Lulu,

The best I can do is point you to the following article which, as you'll
see, has not been updated recently. It's the best information we have on
this type of problem however. I hope it helps some.

<http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/apple_os_10.htm>

--
Beth Rosengard
Mac MVP

Mac Word FAQ: <http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/WordMac/index.htm>
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/toc.html>

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Lulu:

OK, it's bombing out half-way through the save. The "Word Word File" is the
new version that has been written to disk. When Word does a save, it first
writes the new version, then renames the old version, then renames the new
version, then deletes the old version. That's normal.

For some reason, one of the renames is not happening and Word is then
deleting the wrong version.

Log one of those machines on as the Network Administrator and see if that
makes a difference. This can be a directory or folder permissioning
problem. However, the error usually means "The server won't issue any more
file handles so I cannot open the temporary file I need to complete the
save."

In the article Beth sent you to, there is a macro that enables you to empty
the Undo Buffer on Word when this problem strikes. This releases server
file handles to enable Word to obtain the new files it needs to complete a
save. Try that: it may enable you to complete the save without the error.

However, running Classic on a G5 is always going to be a "brave" move. You
may want to boot those machines back to OS 9 for the sake of reliability.

Cheers