I have a document library in SP2010 where a document has been checked out by "System Account" and locked as Read Only.

Logged in with site collection administrator credentials (which also have full control in the web app via policy) I am not able to edit, check in, discard checkout, administratively force check in, or delete the document. I am able to open it in read only mode in both the client and Office Web Apps. This library does have a standard, OOB approval workflow attached. The WF is not customized. I see that the Workflow Timer Job becomes set to "Paused" when this runs.

I have tried cancelling the the workflow tasks and terminating the workflow. But, it does not release the check out by System Account or the read only status. 

I logged in as the Farm Admin account, which is recognized as System Account, and tried all these things, but still no results.

I have cycled the SharePoint Timer service, but this didn't alleviate either the check out status or the read only lock.

I have restarted the WFE server and the SQL server. But, the check out and lock remain.

I do not have the option of deleting this document library as there is too much content to manage. This is only a single document in the library, not all the documents in the library.  

So, how do I access this lock and remove it?

If you have a developer resource, you should be able to use the object model to access the document programatically and remove the checkout running the application on the server as a farm administrator.

Don't have a developer resource.

The error message is "This item cannot be updated because it is locked as read-only. "

There is apparently a flag for "AllowDelete" that is set to False, but I don't know how to access it.

Also, the Workflow Timer Job is still in a paused status. If I set to Run Now, it will go to Running, but nothing happens and will eventually go back to Paused.

Do you have the workflow approval enabled on the library?  I.E.  Is the document waiting for approval from a person(s) that have rights to approve the document?  You should be able to see the approval settings in the Library settings.

There is no workflow pending on the document library. Have already gone down that route. As I stated in the original post, we have tried completing the WF tasks and also just canceling them. But, the document remains locked by system account. And the workflow timer job is stuck at pending.

Does the site collection have the "Publishing Infrastructure" feature activated? If so, you could try discarding the checkout or deleting the document through the "Content and structure" UI (Site settings -> Site Administration ->Content and structure) - do this logged in as the system account.

Or

Does the document have any checked in version? If not you could try using the "Manage files which have no checked in version" link from within the library settings page to take ownership of the document.

As stated in the original post, we have attempted to discard checkout, both via the Content and Structure UI, the List settings UI, and via PowerShell.

There is no requirement for checkout/checkin and there is no listing under the Manage files which have no checked in version. We looked there as well.

 

Kevin,

I have been through the same scenario, and here is what i did:

1. Site Actions -> Site Settins -> (Site Collection Administration) Record Declaration Settings
2. Under Declaration Roles section , make your choice (in my case i have selected : All List Contributers and Administrators)
3. Go back to your Document Library, select your document, then from the Drop Down List of Options Select Compliance Details.
4. From Compliance Details page, click on Undeclare Record.
5. Now you can edit or Delete the document.

I hope this is going to fix your problem.

• Proposed as answer by Basem Alabbasi Thursday, December 09, 2010 11:45 AM
• Unproposed as answer by Stanfford Liu Wednesday, December 15, 2010 3:05 AM
• Proposed as answer by Airwings Tuesday, December 21, 2010 8:06 AM
• Unproposed as answer by Kevin Hughes Tuesday, December 21, 2010 4:59 PM
• Proposed as answer by LaTonnya 11 hours 27 minutes ago

That will require me to activate the feature for declaring records in place. I currently don't have that feature activated.

But, will try it to see if that give me any joy.

 

Kevin

You may need to go click on the dropdown menu for each file and click Compliance Details, then click Undeclare record. Once the file is no longer considered a record, you can edit, delete or do whatever. If you have full rights to the library, you should be able to undeclare records.

 

http://vcollogan.knows.it

@orbhot

 

• Proposed as answer by Airwings Tuesday, December 21, 2010 8:07 AM
• Unproposed as answer by Kevin Hughes Tuesday, December 21, 2010 4:59 PM

Way off base.

Got it figured out and it had ZERO to do with being a record. But, thanks for playing.

do you care to share your results with us?

The other way round to solve this is to open the site in SharePoint designer,

Locate the file (having lock icon) and select it.

from the actions either "Check-in" or "undo check-out", this will make the library accessible in editable mode.

Cheers :)

Ravi Thapliyal

• Proposed as answer by Ravi Thapliyal Thursday, February 03, 2011 6:29 AM

We have the exact same issue - can you share what you did to fix this issue?

Thanks much,

Robin

 

Hi All,

 

Here is how to solve this issue:

1. You must be a site collection admininstrator

2. Go to Site Settings/Record Declaration Settings

3. In the second section - Manual record declaration in lists and libraries should be: ---> Click the radio button for Available in All Locations by Default

4. Go back to your library (Where you cannot delete the file)

5. Click the ribbon - Library Tools/Documents -- You should see a new item to the right of the Edit Properties Button: Declare Record --

6. Now you should be able to select the document, and select Compliance Details and the undeclare as a record link will be active

7. Undeclare the record

8. Delete the record.

 

Hope this helps someone!

 

 

• Proposed as answer by PAULADAMS74 Monday, July 11, 2011 4:09 PM

Kevin Could you please explain what you had to do?  I seem to have the same problem and as yet have no way of fixing it. I know this was some time ago but hopefully you can recall the steps.  My issue also doesn't seem to have anything to do with being a record.  PAULADAMS74 answer below was not of any help either.

Thanks,

Joe

• Edited by Joe___Z Friday, February 24, 2012 6:54 PM
• Proposed as answer by P Holtz Wednesday, October 15, 2014 4:16 PM
• Unproposed as answer by P Holtz Wednesday, October 15, 2014 4:16 PM

Nice!  so what do we do with the guys that take up time on this forum, and don't have the consideration to give us the response to their problem?

I had a couple documents checked out to System Account, and I found the solution on this blog post. By navigating to the library through the Manage Content and Structure menu in the site menu, I was able to simply discard the check out.

• Proposed as answer by icoatr Monday, January 14, 2013 8:30 AM

I face the same problem.

I was clearing Automatic Declaration in the Document-Library-Setting > Record-Declaration-Setting. And it can be Undeclared manually.

It seems, once your item has declared by System Account then no body (even Administrator) can change it.

Good Luck. SBr

same problem, I have tried everything I have found and I have found a lot of things to try. The document remains read-only by system.

I was able to resolve this issue by following the steps below...

• Site Actions > Site Settings
• Under Site Administration select "Content and structure"
• Selected Pages in the left pane 
• Selected the locked page in the right pane
• Selected Actions > Discard Checkout

That did the trick for me. Hope it helps someone else.

I was able to resolve this issue by following the steps below...

• Site Actions > Site Settings
• Under Site Administration select "Content and structure"
• Selected Pages in the left pane 
• Selected the locked page in the right pane
• Selected Actions > Discard Checkout

This recently worked for me for document sets. Thank you