"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. Tom van Stiphout 40,216 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2021-12-17T13:54:43+00:00

    That is indeed the correct version for Current channel. The original post was in error.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-12-17T12:28:19+00:00

    I have been using ClickToRun and fixed the issue by first rolling back and now updating to the fixed release.

    But I believe that the culprit update was KB5002099 (Office 2016)

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-the-security-update-for-office-2016-december-14-2021-kb5002099-10670400-427f-4819-8de6-abd11e73100b

    or KB5002104 (Office 2013)

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/description-of-the-security-update-for-office-2013-december-14-2021-kb5002104-84005c4a-9bfe-4da6-bd66-240c5c468c7c

    Kind regards

    Neil

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-12-17T11:31:57+00:00

    Im running Access 2016 Pro Plus 16.0.5224.1000 and I still have this problem.

    Do we know what KB to remove?

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-12-17T09:34:29+00:00

    Tom,

    Thank you for the early heads up on the release of a fix.

    By the time I checked, the Current Channel was showing the fixed release as build 14701.20262

    I installed this latest release on the original machine on which I detected the problem:

    • The machine connected to the backend database OK with 13 other users connected
    • I created a new test database. It was opened in shared mode with the .laccdb file created in the usual mode
    • I opened the test database from another machine, which opened it OK

    In my case I can confirm that the new build 14701.20262 fixes the problem.

    Thanks to the MS engineers. A good response.

    Kind regards

    Neil

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  5. Tom van Stiphout 40,216 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2021-12-17T01:39:41+00:00

    From MSFT:

    New builds with the fix have started rolling out for some channels:

    Current Channel: 16.13801.21092

    Current Channel (Preview): 16.0.14729.20170

    Semi-Annual Channel (Preview): 16.0.14326.20272

    Semi-Annual Channel: 16.0.13801.21092

    Semi-Annual Channel (Extended): 16.0.13127.21846

    For anyone who has seen the issue on one of these channels, if you have the opportunity, please Update Now (it may not happen automatically) to get the updated version and validate that it addresses the issue.

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