message: file cannot be deleted . . ..
 

I made up a sample excel file and now I can't remove it. When I go to open
it, it says it's a read only file, but I never made it that and when I go to
check that, it isn't a read only in the menu. When I go to delete it, it
says, this file is being used by other person. It is not - I am alone here!
Help. J

message: file cannot be deleted . . ..
 

It's opening as read-only because Windows thinks it is already open.
Try closing Excel completely, then use MyComputer to locate and delete
it. If that doesn't work, either you have a second instance of Excel
(and the file) open, or, if it's on a network drive, someone else has
it open.
James
jkg wrote:
I made up a sample excel file and now I can't remove it. When I go to open
it, it says it's a read only file, but I never made it that and when I go to
check that, it isn't a read only in the menu. When I go to delete it, it
says, this file is being used by other person. It is not - I am alone here!
Help. J

message: file cannot be deleted . . ..
 

J

Excel stores in Windows\Temp(win98) folder a copy(s) of any file that is open.

Sometimes this *.tmp file is not deleted from the Temp folder when you close
out Excel(maybe a crash of Excel?) or the file, so Excel thinks it is still
open and in use.

You can try a re-boot and see if that clears it up. If not, after a re-boot,
clear out your Windows\Temp folder.

If using WinXP your Temp folder would be under user.......

Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temp

If on a network, re-booting the server may be the only solution.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP


On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 09:47:02 -0700, jkg wrote:

I made up a sample excel file and now I can't remove it. When I go to open
it, it says it's a read only file, but I never made it that and when I go to
check that, it isn't a read only in the menu. When I go to delete it, it
says, this file is being used by other person. It is not - I am alone here!
Help. J

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP