Member Avatar for bravoman

Hello guys, i really need help with this one. This is the problem:
I have a user with Windows Vista Home Premium and Office 2007 (Sony Vaio Laptop). When i start it and open a xls file its all ok, but if i close that file and i repoen it i receive a message : The *.xls is locked for editting by the user "Windows User", and i have 3 buttons: Read-only, Notify and Cancel. If i press Notify i can use that file but when i close it i can save it only as a copy. If i reboot and open the xls file is ok and if i close it, the same problem. I woud apreciate any help.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by ferensick

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This thread shows the classic symptom: Excel says a workbook is "locked for editing by 'Windows User'" even after it was closed. As reported, enabling workbook sharing made the message go away (and pointed toward the Sharing help), but that is a workaround rather than a diagnosis. The lock message usually means Excel (or some other process) left a hidden owner/lock file behind or holds an exclusive handle on the file.

Common causes and a short troubleshooting workflow:

  • Close Excel and any app that might access the file, then check Task Manager for lingering EXCEL.EXE processes and end them.
  • In the folder that contains the workbook enable viewing of hidden files and look for a temporary owner file whose name starts with "~$" followed by your workbook name. If Excel has closed cleanly you can delete that ~$ file and reopen the workbook.
  • If the workbook sits on a network share, another session may still have it open. On the machine hosting the share use the Shared Folders / Open Files view (Computer Management) to see and close open handles, or ask the other user to close it.
  • Other culprits: antivirus or backup/sync software, the Explorer preview pane, or an Excel add-in that keeps a handle open. Temporarily disable those to test.

Notes and cautions:

  • Only remove the small ~$ temporary file, not the actual workbook.
  • The Shared Workbook feature allows concurrent edits but disables several Excel features and can be fragile; use it with caution and consider modern co-authoring (SharePoint/OneDrive + newer Office) for reliable multi-user editing.

If the lock recurs after these checks, capture whether the file is local or on a network/share, whether sync or backup tools are present, and whether Preview Pane or add-ins are enabled—those details point quickly to the true cause.

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Member Avatar for ferensick

Hi,
It seems that your .xls file is being shared. Turn the sharing off and you should not have this issue anymore. I know it Excel 2003, when you open the .xls file you can change the sharing option under TOOLS in the menu bar. I am not sure where it is in 2007. Take a look at the EXCEL help -> Sharing Workbook.
I hope this helps.

Member Avatar for bravoman

Its ok now. I went in Excel2007 -> Review -> Share This Worbook and i allowed all user to make changes, for now its working. Thankyou very much.:)

Member Avatar for ferensick

n/p I'm glad it's working. :-)

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