Re: Errors Opening Network Based Spreadsheets using Excel 97

From: Susan Bradley, CPA aka Ebitz - SBS Rocks [MVP] (sbradcpa@pacbell.net)
Date: 03/26/03 

Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:48:59 -0800
From: "Susan Bradley, CPA aka Ebitz - SBS Rocks [MVP]" <sbradcpa@pacbell.net>

Let me guess
Windows XP sp1
Windows 2000 sp3 as the domain controller

The fix for the Windows XP sp1 file locking issue: 810907- "Error
Messages When You Open or Copy Network Files on Windows XP SP1 Clients
That Require SMB Signing"

Contact Microsoft PSS on your local regional number ....

US (800) 936-4900
UK 0870 60 10 100

Other regional points of contact can be found by browsing to the
following address and entering your specific country.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/international.aspx .....

and announce that you need hotfix 810907 there will be no charge for
this

It's not regression tested - meaning Microsoft's official position is to

not put it on your production server. If you do install it in your live
environment, have a good backup, an up to date ERD disk and monitor the
impact on your system. It is currently running in several SBS2k
environments with no reported issues noted thus far.

-----------------------------
UPDATE: The two files included in that patch have been further updated
in two newer hotfixes. Both contain the same file and are thus are the
same "fix" 811492 - "It may take 35 Seconds to Delete Files with
Windows XP SP1" and 812937 = "File Lock or Access Denied Error Message
When You Save Files over the Network". The files include 30-Jan-2003

versions of the Mrxsmb.sys and Rdbss.sys files. As of March 8, 2003,
these are the latest versions of these two files. These newer fixes are

needed if you are seeing issues with "Oplocks" or Opportunistic Locking.

The SBS MVPs are currently recommending the following procedures:
For All W2K computers (Servers, workstations, SBS included): Apply W2K
SP3, then....Apply 329170 - http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329170
For XP, any versions. Apply WXP SP1, then apply 329170 -
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329170. Obtain and apply 810907 to XP

clients:- http://support.microsoft.com/?id=810907**
** Instead of 810907, the hotfixes contained in 811492 OR 812937 should
work as well.

For Domain Default Group Policy

To work around this problem, use Group Policy settings to turn off SMB
signing. To do so, set the Default Domain Controller policy settings to
Disabled:

Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Active Directory Users and Computers.
Right-click the Domain Controllers organizational unit, and then click
Properties.
Click the Group Policies tab.
Click Default Domain Controllers Policy, and then click Edit.
Locate Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local
Policies\Security Options
If any of the following policy settings are set to Enabled, double click

the setting, click to select the Define this policy setting check box,
click Disabled, and then click OK. NOTE: By default, only one setting is

set to Enabled.

Digitally sign client communication (always)
Digitally sign client communication (when possible)
Digitally sign server communication (always)
Digitally sign server communication (when possible)
Close Group Policy editor, click OK, and then quit Active Directory
Users and Computers. Then, modify to the permissions on that policy to
include: Domain Computers: Read/Apply Group Policy.

David Abel wrote:

"Jeff G." wrote:

> I posted the info below in the Windows XP newsgroup. Bob
> Delaney, MS Desktop MVP, suggested that this was an issue
> for the Win @k newsgroup.
>
> I've installed Office 97 on a Windows XP WS with all the
> service packs installed. When a user opens a spread***,
> that are located on a Windows 2000 server, you get the
> following error:
> "The file may be read-only, or you may be trying to access
> a read-only location. Or, the server the document is
> stored on may not be responding. <Retry><Cancel>"
> This happens intermittently not consistantly when your
> opening the same file. If you copy the spread*** to the
> hard drive of the workstation, the error does not occur.
> The users had Windows 98 PC before going to Windows XP and
> never experienced this issue.
> I found MS KB document - 265103 that refers to CA
> Inocultate 6.x which I have installed on the XP WS. I
> tried the workaround listed, but that
> did not have any affect.
> How can I resolve this issue?
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff G.