"Could not lock file" with Access build 14701.20248

Anonymous
2021-12-14T19:16:08+00:00

I had a client today who could not open their shared backend database. The system displayed the error “Could not lock file”.

I determined that Access was trying to open the file in exclusive mode, even though none of the normal methods to open the file exclusively were being applied:

• The File / Options / Client Settings / Advanced / Default open mode was set to Shared

• No command line /excl  was being used

• The user had Full Control permissions for the shared folder containing the database

• Creating a new test database opened it exclusively, so that no other user could open it.

• The newly created test database could not be reopened if another user opened it,

• Several other users could simultaneously open the new test database without a problem.

The user had been using the database for normal operations for several days prior to the problem.

The user’s system has updated to build 16.0.14701.20248 today.

All other test users had build 16.0.14701.20226.

I rolled the user's Office installation back to 16.0.14701.20226 by using the Office Deployment Tool https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2bd5c457-a917-d57e-35a1-f709e3dda841 

The problem was solved.

Can anyone else confirm that this problem exists with the latest build of Access?

Neil Sargent

Smart IT Ltd

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For business | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-01-05T21:01:02+00:00

    The latest KB (4484211) appears to have corrected the issue with allowing multiple users to open a database using the MS Access frontend, however, we have numerous Excel reports that contain OLEDB links (Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0) to the .mdb (or .accdb) file. These links are not able to be refreshed if the database is opened, getting the same "File in use" error. Also, the database is closed and a user does happen to refresh one of these reports, the database can then only be opened in Read-Only mode until the Excel file is closed. This problem also exists now when everything is stored on a local hard-drive, not just on a network resource.

    Has anyone else experienced these or similar issues?

    JP

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-12-21T13:23:19+00:00

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-12-21T13:08:47+00:00

    The updates for MSI builds will take a little longer, but are coming. In the meantime, you can uninstall the KB that introduced the problem to resolve the issue. You will need to reboot after removing the KB.

    • KB 5002104 for Office 2013
    • KB 5002099 for Office 2016

    Since this MSI's don't required a reboot, its almost impossible to make 100's of users to do that. We end up with a mixed situation and the problem not fixed.

    Please make the fix to force a reboot.

    PS: we using WSUS

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-12-21T13:01:12+00:00

    Ok. Some new information in my case.

    First summarize our status:

    As said earlier do we have updated clients to 16.0.14701.20262.

    We have an old (working before last weeks security patch problems) application that only one can be using at a time.

    We can reproduce the problem with new access file so nothing says that something is wrong with the old system.

    Now:

    Have I tested to reproduce the problem on an other server (actually a webb test server that I as I software developer have permission to create file shares on) and it works there! I can open the file in two access instances without "File i nuse"-error. The lock file is also removed after last instance is closed.

    So the security patch has caused problem related to our environment that is NOT fixed in 16.0.14701.20262. So to me does it seem to be a combination with fileserver/network/configuration and a patch that does not handle that.
    To be clear and repeat has it been working in our environment prior to last weeks security patch so I can not say something is wrong with fileserver.

    Since I'm not a IT profeissional is it difficult to say the difference between the filrserver used and the test share I did from our test server. I have passed the information to our IT, but I guess they will have it difficult to solve since the fileserver is what it is and have been for long prior to the security patch.

    Kind regards,

    Sven

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-12-21T11:23:13+00:00

    That would be great, but I'mFeeling a bit stupid, but I do not know how to send-a-frown. Googling it says Help->feedback in the Office app, but I have no such option. Only "Contact support", but no option there to send feedback. Can not find it under File either. Has it been removed by and IT policy? Seems strange to do that.

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