XL97: Err Msg: <Filename> Cannot Be Accessed. The File May Be Read-Only... (182671)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q182671

SYMPTOMS

When you try to open a Microsoft Excel 97 file, you may receive the following error message
filename cannot be accessed. The file may be read-only, or you may be trying to access a read-only location. Or, the server the document is stored on may not be responding.
where filename is the name of the file you are attempting to open.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when the following conditions are true:
  • The file has been saved to a Novell network volume.

    -and-

  • The file has become damaged.

RESOLUTION

If you are experiencing this issue on a Novell network, more information is available from Novell. Please reference Technical Document Number 2939659 at http://support.novell.com.

For information about how to contact Novell, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

If the fix from Novell does not eliminate the problem, then please contact Microsoft for more information. A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next release of Microsoft Office that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.


WORKAROUND

You may also choose to work around this problem rather than applying a patch. In this case, follow these steps to edit a workbook stored on a Novell server:
  1. Copy your Microsoft Excel workbook from your network server to your local hard disk.
  2. Edit the local copy of the workbook.
  3. Copy the workbook from your local hard disk back to the network server.
NOTE: You should still keep backup copies of all of your important files.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

If you receive this error message, the file you are attempting to save has become damaged. You can attempt to recover the information from the file by using the methods in the following articles:

147216 XL: Linking to Data in a Damaged File (5.0 and Later)

142117 Excel: Summary of Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted Files

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/6/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kberrmsg kbpending KB182671
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