Windows is locking mi files to "read only"!

[carloslebaron]

I bought an Acer laptop with windows 7.

I installed a Microsoft Word 2000 using the choice of doing it with Windows XP alternative installation. (Found in Control Panel, trobleshooting, Run programs made for previous versions of Windows).

I have installed and uninstalled Microsoft Word 2000 several times since I bought this computer because sometimes when I open a document file a box appears saying that "*name of my computer" has locked the file and now is a "read only file", plus gives me a notification choice besides of closing the file.

So far, I never installed any administrator user and only a password to start the computer has been input.

What is happening?

Do you have any idea of why the computer is locking the files by itself?

Is there any patch to disable such an "authority" of my computer of locking files without my permission?

Is this a problem caused by Acer's hard drive or by Windows 7?

I have installed Microsoft Word in other computers, it has gave me some problems but never locked any file to the point that I can't write anymore, neither to edit them.

By the way, this laptop has never been connected online, this is a laptop I bought for private personal business only, and no updates or softwatre other than technical dictionaries and Microsoft Word 2000 have been installed in it.

I will appreciate very much any guide or solution to solve this problem.

Thanks.

 

[carloslebaron]

Problem fixed!..I guess...

Thank you for at least reading my post. I think that the problem I had with my computer was "uncommon" by the rare case of the computer locking up documents to "read only" status without any reason.

I can't even change the "read only file" status as an administrator.

The computer somehow didn't want to change the privileges to control the features to the System, and only the user has it, still I wasn't able to unlock the documents "read only file". It was very frustrating.

As a desperate move I decided to open another account as a guest, and I gave all the privileges of control (installing new programs, etc) to the guest user.

I didn't do anything. But after re-starting the computer, the owner and guest account boxes showed up at the screen, and I opened the guest account first. As it was expected, this account is independent from the owner's and can be used without problems.

I opened the owner's account -which has a password to enter- and whoa! the "read onlyfile" box didn't appear when I opened any of the document files.

I already have a few days without the problem, and I guess that it has been fixed.

I ignore completely why the computer behaved in such a way locking up my documents, but I am not really interested for details of the problem, but surely I'm happy that it has been solved.

I returning back to this forum to give this information in case this is a problem that might happen to somebody else.

My regards.

 

[canivari]

I bought an Acer laptop with windows 7.

I installed a Microsoft Word 2000 using the choice of doing it with Windows XP alternative installation. (Found in Control Panel, trobleshooting, Run programs made for previous versions of Windows).

I have installed and uninstalled Microsoft Word 2000 several times since I bought this computer because sometimes when I open a document file a box appears saying that "*name of my computer" has locked the file and now is a "read only file", plus gives me a notification choice besides of closing the file.

So far, I never installed any administrator user and only a password to start the computer has been input.

What is happening?

Do you have any idea of why the computer is locking the files by itself?

Is there any patch to disable such an "authority" of my computer of locking files without my permission?

Is this a problem caused by Acer's hard drive or by Windows 7?

I have installed Microsoft Word in other computers, it has gave me some problems but never locked any file to the point that I can't write anymore, neither to edit them.

By the way, this laptop has never been connected online, this is a laptop I bought for private personal business only, and no updates or softwatre other than technical dictionaries and Microsoft Word 2000 have been installed in it.

I will appreciate very much any guide or solution to solve this problem.

Thanks.

Try to update your office from windows update and check in the files if they arent blocked in theire properties.
Hope that helps

 

[carloslebaron]

Try to update your office from windows update and check in the files if they arent blocked in theire properties.
Hope that helps

Thanks for the advice, and it makes sense since I never used the Office program (didn't even opened the 60 days free trial) but I deleted it at the very beginning. When I restored the system once trying to solve the problem the Microsoft Office was re-installed automatically and the "read only file" box dissapeared for a while.

Now well, this is not because paranoia but this is what it is to me: Internet is a two way interchange of information. With this principle at hand, any company -even Microsoft- can send you a patch for a program and "pull" information from your computer without your knowledge.

This doesn't mean that Microsoft will use the information they can take from your computer to steal it from you, but they can read and know what you have in your computer.

When one of those spam Virus protection companies invades your computer saying that they are checking your system for possible infections, actually they can also pull information, and this sounds crazy but actually nobody can control that, because the companies which "protect you" from the spam companies, these same "good companies" can spy your system at their will without you notice it, and you know that they were in your computer only when a box appears saying that "updates have been installed"...when is too late for you to check what the heck they were doing.

I don't care if they ("they" means any company installing updates, spam/spy infections, etc) check what is inside this computer (the one I'm using right now) because I have nothing private here, but in my laptop I want to enjoy my privacy.

This is something I have been making since the 90's, using cheap and used computers to be online, and keeping a good one for private use only, where personal information, documents, etc are in storage.

To me, is suspicious that a brand new computer from a store already needs lots of "patchs" downloaded, hey! and worst, you buy a program and the program stop working right after a week or two and suggest you to check the problem "online" where you must accept that you give green light for them to check and see your whole system, in other words, by doing so you have already gave them green light for them to spy your computer at anytime after that as well.

We are in a sick era where the cashier from any store asks you your phone number or e-mail, sometimes for a contest or just to input the information in their system, they can sell the information later and lots of companies will know what you just bought today in the morning. The most funny is the "free credit report" where when you sign up you have gave to lots of companies your total credit information forever, they have your permission to check it even without you knowing it. Nothing is free, someone is taking advantage and the losers are always the ones who fall in such trick, free...lol...

Please don't take me wrong, I love the internet, but I know as well that nothing, absolutely nothing is private online, even the e-mail. I know it by the fact that one day I was unable to sign in and open my e-mail, and from Hotmail they tod me that in order to re-install the original password I must tell them at least what was my last e-mails, I told them what I remember and they reset my password, because they can check who is sending you messages and from whom you are receiving them, they can do that.

Of course, this doesn't mean that they are doing it everyday with everybody, but for sure they can do it. This doesn't happen with regular mail where only you and the receiver knows about it, and the Post Office computers only distribute the adresses by reading the front of the letters but they don't read or keep records of the sender's labels...unless you use special services as certified mail.

So, following your advice which I really appreciate it very much, I will download it to a disk and install it in the laptop later on.

I just checked the "free downloads" for Office, there are package 1, package 2, and/or several small patches.

By the way, I found another way to solve the problem as well, but I will follow your advice because I want to learn more about troubleshooting this kind of problems. I have no idea how one program will interference in another program (Office with Microsoft Word) but I think is worthy to try your suggestion.

Thank you very much for your help, and please forgive me all the unnecessary crazy stuff I wrote above.

 

[canivari]

Thanks for the advice, and it makes sense since I never used the Office program (didn't even opened the 60 days free trial) but I deleted it at the very beginning. When I restored the system once trying to solve the problem the Microsoft Office was re-installed automatically and the "read only file" box dissapeared for a while.

Now well, this is not because paranoia but this is what it is to me: Internet is a two way interchange of information. With this principle at hand, any company -even Microsoft- can send you a patch for a program and "pull" information from your computer without your knowledge.

This doesn't mean that Microsoft will use the information they can take from your computer to steal it from you, but they can read and know what you have in your computer.

When one of those spam Virus protection companies invades your computer saying that they are checking your system for possible infections, actually they can also pull information, and this sounds crazy but actually nobody can control that, because the companies which "protect you" from the spam companies, these same "good companies" can spy your system at their will without you notice it, and you know that they were in your computer only when a box appears saying that "updates have been installed"...when is too late for you to check what the heck they were doing.

I don't care if they ("they" means any company installing updates, spam/spy infections, etc) check what is inside this computer (the one I'm using right now) because I have nothing private here, but in my laptop I want to enjoy my privacy.

This is something I have been making since the 90's, using cheap and used computers to be online, and keeping a good one for private use only, where personal information, documents, etc are in storage.

To me, is suspicious that a brand new computer from a store already needs lots of "patchs" downloaded, hey! and worst, you buy a program and the program stop working right after a week or two and suggest you to check the problem "online" where you must accept that you give green light for them to check and see your whole system, in other words, by doing so you have already gave them green light for them to spy your computer at anytime after that as well.

We are in a sick era where the cashier from any store asks you your phone number or e-mail, sometimes for a contest or just to input the information in their system, they can sell the information later and lots of companies will know what you just bought today in the morning. The most funny is the "free credit report" where when you sign up you have gave to lots of companies your total credit information forever, they have your permission to check it even without you knowing it. Nothing is free, someone is taking advantage and the losers are always the ones who fall in such trick, free...lol...

Please don't take me wrong, I love the internet, but I know as well that nothing, absolutely nothing is private online, even the e-mail. I know it by the fact that one day I was unable to sign in and open my e-mail, and from Hotmail they tod me that in order to re-install the original password I must tell them at least what was my last e-mails, I told them what I remember and they reset my password, because they can check who is sending you messages and from whom you are receiving them, they can do that.

Of course, this doesn't mean that they are doing it everyday with everybody, but for sure they can do it. This doesn't happen with regular mail where only you and the receiver knows about it, and the Post Office computers only distribute the adresses by reading the front of the letters but they don't read or keep records of the sender's labels...unless you use special services as certified mail.

So, following your advice which I really appreciate it very much, I will download it to a disk and install it in the laptop later on.

I just checked the "free downloads" for Office, there are package 1, package 2, and/or several small patches.

By the way, I found another way to solve the problem as well, but I will follow your advice because I want to learn more about troubleshooting this kind of problems. I have no idea how one program will interference in another program (Office with Microsoft Word) but I think is worthy to try your suggestion.

Thank you very much for your help, and please forgive me all the unnecessary crazy stuff I wrote above.

Well, if you are concerned about privacy,you dont need to work with windows update that cames with your windows.
Just download the offiline instalation of the SP3 of your 2000 office from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...70-47D0-4306-9FA4-8E92D36332FE&displaylang=EN

and thats it
Hope that helps