Word 2010 suddenly becomes Read-Only

Hi,

This problem from beta still happens with Word 2010. I ran into this thread here http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/office2010/thread/f1ea55cd-56e1-4625-b9a1-c1fc60199bcc?prof=required

I'm not really sure what triggers it. It may be alt-tabbing and it sure is annoying. I have Office Home and Student running on XP and I'm using the file in my documents. Does anybody know a fix for this one?

October 14th, 2010 2:50pm

Hi,

I met this issue before. And for me, this issue wouldn't happen to all my documents, but once it did happen to a particular document, it would keep happening to that document no matter what I did.

The only way I was able to get around the problem was to turn off the automatic backup file feature in Word 2010 while working in that document.

  1. Click the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.
  2. Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box.
  3. Scroll down to the Save section and make sure the Always Create Backup Copy check box is NOT selected.
  4. Optionally, also NOT select the Allow Background Saves check box.
  5. Click on OK.

In addition, sometimes when you open a word file, a temporary copy is created.

Closing the document should also close the temp file.

Sometimes this does not happen and the temp file remains behind. If so, it also may cause this issue.

Try to reboot or end process by clicking Alt+Ctrl+Delete to open task manager so that clear the temp file.

Hope that helps.

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October 15th, 2010 2:11am

We too have had this problem off and on.  With us it is not an Office 2010 problem but a Windows 7 issue.  This will sound stupid but try it and see if it corrects the problem.  Open Windows Explorer.  In the upper left is a pull down menu that is labeled Organize.  Click it and go down to Layout, select Details pane to turn it off.  Then, hopefully enjoy read-write paradise.
  • Proposed as answer by jtho Wednesday, May 02, 2012 6:58 PM
May 2nd, 2012 6:58pm

I have the same probelm with Windows 7 and Word 2010. The option to hide the detail pane in layout of windows explorer didn't help. The option to run Word as administrator does not apply when you open the word files by double-click on them. Waiting for Microsoft to provide the solution.
  • Proposed as answer by eleibzon Friday, June 08, 2012 10:24 AM
  • Unproposed as answer by eleibzon Friday, June 08, 2012 10:24 AM
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June 6th, 2012 8:03am

Dionisio Ambrona

It is the preview pane that needs to be unchecked, not the details pane.

  • Edited by simonling Sunday, June 24, 2012 2:54 PM
June 24th, 2012 2:49pm

Well, I seem to have solved the problem, although it's a workaround that might not be viable for everyone. I saved the file as "Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)" instead of .docx, and the problem disappeared. It's been at least a week since I've seen it happen.

As long as you don't need to use features that are specific to the .docx file format (whatever they are), give this a try. As I mentioned before, none of the other workarounds solved the issue for me.

  • Proposed as answer by DJKuulA Friday, July 06, 2012 5:53 PM
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July 6th, 2012 5:53pm

FIXED - With thanks to JTHO.

My problem was that some Word documents were opening as Read-Only, so you had to resave as a different name but you still couldn't delete the previous document.

Go to Folder > Organize > Layout > Preview Pane and click it off.

For some reason the computer was seeing the Preview as an already open document so if you tried opening it properly then it would become read only until you stopped viewing it in the Preview Pane!

  • Proposed as answer by GavRhodes Monday, August 13, 2012 10:14 AM
August 13th, 2012 10:14am

I have had this problem for some weeks, really a big problem, I suspected WinXP at first, I tried everything. Nothing helped.

I then suspected Word 2010 Pro and followed lots of online Microsoft advice, nothing helped. I changed option after option and other than making a few new problems, I did not fix the old one!!

As a last desperate move I got my MSOffice 2010 Pro CD and did a new install, over the old. It went quite quickly, though my laptop is 6 years old, it took less than 30 minutes.It retained all my personal infos, files and locations etc.. Very nice and quick.

It fixed the problem completely.

I am guessing, but I don't think it was a full install, if I remember correctly that took far longer.....a few years ago....2.4GB to fully copy would take longer I am sure.

I did the full install even though I only had problems with Word and very occasionally Excel....

Regards

der_fisherman

  • Proposed as answer by der_fisherman Wednesday, September 12, 2012 5:02 PM
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September 12th, 2012 5:02pm

To those who have this problem in the future.

I had done the latest Windows 7 service update but had the problem develope in the last 24 hours.

Tried a number of things found elsewhere without any luck. Once I found this thread, started at the top with the ideas, checked each of the settings suggested and changed if needed. 3 suggestions not done were - run as administrator, disable AVG antivirus and reinstall progam.

Not real sure what the magic thing was to work but my document is no longer 'read only'.

As time allows may go back and re-set settings to see if there is any one thing to create problem.

Thank you to all with your suggestions.


  • Edited by B-M Monday, April 29, 2013 1:09 AM
April 29th, 2013 1:03am

My 'work-around' has been to simply close a file that comes up as 'Read Only' and reopen it. Saved me doing all those other options.  Fortunately it does not happen very often. 
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May 7th, 2015 9:19pm

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