Works Err Msg: Cannot Change Properties of PICTURE.WPS (112581)

SYMPTOMS

If you try to install a shared copy of Works 3.0 by running the SETUP /A command on a Novell network using a VLM workstation shell, you may receive the following error message:

Cannot change properties of <Network Path>\MSWORKS.CBT\PICTURE.WPS File in use by other application

Setup will not allow you to continue past this error. The only option available is to choose Cancel and exit Setup without completing the shared installation of Works. If you get the error message and ignore, Setup will not create the SETUP.STF file.

RESOLUTION

The following information corrects the problem on a VLM 1.1 workstation shell.

NOTE: VLM 1.01 will not work at all.

If you receive this error message, use the following steps to correct the problem:

Locate the SHELL.CFG or NET.CFG for the workstation from which you are running Setup.
Open SHELL.CFG or NET.CFG in a text editor. Change the line that reads
READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY=ON
to read as follows:
READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY=OFF
NOTE: This will be located in the "Netware DOS Requester" section of NET.CFG if you are using Novell Netware 4.0. You may also have to add this line to the file.
Log off of the network and restart the workstation.
Log on to the network, start Windows, and run the SETUP /A command again.

You should no longer receive the error message.

MORE INFORMATION

READ ONLY COMPATIBILITY is an option used by the Novell workstation shell. This option determines whether or not an attempt to open a read-only file for write access fails.

After Works for Windows 3.0 is installed, you should be able to change the option in the SHELL.CFG or NET.CFG file back to =ON if there are applications on the system that require this setting.

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.