Problem deleting Word files

[Elaine ..Spain]

I am having trouble deleting and renaming certain Word files through Windows Explorer - keep getting an error message:
The action can't be completed because the file is open in another program. Close file and try again.
I have nothing else open on my computer.

Also when I try to open these files sometimes they open as "read only" which means I have to save them with a different name, and thus end up with more files that I can't delete!

I'm using Vista with Office 2007 and normally save my documents in Word 97/2003 format.

HELP!!

[Mary from Italy]

I don't have Vista, but you may find that you have to close Word while renaming files in Windows Explorer.

If that doesn't work, try going to the Task Manager - you may find that you have Word open twice (look at the Processes tab). Close both through Task Manager, and try again.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Word is closed Mary.
Nothing showing on Task Manager.

It's only happening with one small batch of files that I have been using lately - writing up some family history.

[Mary from Italy]

Nothing showing on Task Manager.

Even in the Processes tab? I sometimes find that if Word hasn't closed properly, it doesn't show up in the Applications tab, but it's still showing in the Processes tab, and consequently won't let me open or rename certain files.

[Mary from Italy]

Just another thought - there may be something strange in one of the files that's somehow corrupting it.

Try saving one of the troublesome ones as a .txt file - this should strip out all the extraneous stuff (but it'll also get rid of formatting, photos etc.). You can then save it in Word as normal.

[Anne in Carlisle]

Does it still happen if you shut down the computer and re start it? Maybe a glitch makes it 'think' the file is still open?

Anne

[Elaine ..Spain]

Reboot doesn't help.

I have had the problem for a couple of days and thinking back it probably started when the computer hung midway through a word doc which I wasn't able to save. When I restarted the computer there was a 'repaired' word doc which it asked me if I wanted to use - which I did - and it fortunately had all the amendments I had made since the last proper save.

I have saved one of the files to text format - no problem with that - it saves OK and I can amend the filename if I want to - but as soon as I save it as a Word doc them I am back with the same problem.

I have also opened one of the problematic documents and copied and pasted the contents to a new Word document - but I am still having the same sort of problems with the new file so it is obviously some deep rooted Word problem.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Any other suggestions?

[Mary from Italy]

You could try downloading Open Office and opening the files with that - it's worked for me in the past with corrupted files that I couldn't open.

Another possibility is copy-pasting the files without the first and last lines, or without section breaks - that's also worked for me in the past (presumably there was some hidden code there that was messing things up).

[MarionH]

Can you use the original Office disk and try to see if you can repair, failing this reinstall?? If something has been corrupted it may need this to repair the problem. Just a thought.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I've got Open Office on the computer so I'll try that Mary.
It is strange because it is not happening with all files - it just seems to be affecting my family history book files and I have to keep renaming them as they sometimes, but only sometimes, open as read only!

[Cloggie]

Could it be something to do with the permissions of the documents?

In Windows Explorer, right-click on the file, and then click on Properties.
Then click on the Security tab.
You can then view and edit the permissions of the different users.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Have checked that Sarah - there are no permissions denied.

[Cloggie]

How strange. I was going to suggest reinstall too, but if it's only happening with certain documents it seems like the documents that are the problem rather than the program itself.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I've just emailed one of the files to OH's computer to see if it is a problem with the file or my setup. It's taking a long time to get there - don't know why cos it's only the three feet away from mine! ;)

[Cloggie]

I wonder if there's some kind of hidden code in it that's corrupted the file and made it bigger as a result? Is the file size about the same as other Word documents with similar amount of content?

[Elaine ..Spain]

Its quite a large size file - 8Kb - it has 14 pages of text and images, the images being scanned at quite a high resolution.

I have just sent one of the problematic files to OH's computer and he can rename it and delete it with no problem so it has to be something to do with my computer. I think I will do a Office repair and see what happens - now where did I put the disc! :(

[MarionH]

Think this might give you a clue to the answer - looks as though it is something to do with the format version that you are saving them in -

Does Vista Word corrupt Office 2003/XP Word files? - Yahoo! Answers

[Elaine ..Spain]

Not sure that is my problem Marion.

The file was originally an Office 2003 file - but on the new Vista laptop I loaded a full copy of Office 2007 - not a trial version.
I have got into the habit of always saving files in 97-2003 format for sharing purposes as the rest of the family in the main only have 2003.

I can open the file and read it - all the text and images are there - the problem, which I have only had for the last week at the most, is that almost every time I open up the file in opens in read only format, which means I have to save it again with another name when closing down. I think I can date the problem back to my computer hanging and I was forced to close down without saving one of the Word files. When I rebooted it asked me if I wanted to use the repaired copy - which I said yes to - and since then I have had the error message that I cannot rename or delete as the file is being used elsewhere.

I've sent one of the files to OH's computer and it seems fine. I have just done a repair on Office 2007 but it hasn't helped.
I suppose the next thing is to delete Office 2007 and reinstall.

Why are things always so complicated! :(

[Cloggie]

What about if your OH sends the file you sent him back to you. I wonder if that would open/save/rename properly?