# Word 2003 document suddenly "locked for editing" by me



## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

I was just working on a document in Word 2003, and suddenly it is "locked for editing by Lisa" (me). I can't edit or do anything with it - it's read-only. 

I was trying to mess around and figure out how to unlock it, and i also got an error message: "Changes have been made that affect the global template, normal.dot. Do you want to save these changes?"

Would really appreciate some help!! Basically I just need to make sure I don't lose the changes made to my document, because I had not saved it before Word locked. I can't even close the window. 

In order to save my work, I tried right-clicking on the document in windows explorer > save as, and saving it in a different name in an attempt to save it - but it has NOT saved the latest version! 
(I sent this saved version to a friend who sent it back by pasting it into an email so i could check whether it had saved the latest changes - because Word is completely locked!- and it has not saved them)

So please, can anyone advise how to either unlock without losing changes made to my document, or how to save it! 
The most important thing is I just need to make sure the changes I made to my document are not lost!!

Thanks in advance!


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

If you're concerned about losing your changes, copy and past everything into a new document. That way you at least have what's current in a document you can save.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Thanks for the reply, but it won't even allow me to copy and paste!


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Can you recall the steps leading up to the file becoming locked?


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Yes, actually I have a feeling it is interconnected with a different problem I have been having when using Word as my default editor with Outlook. 
Briefly, what happens is when I try to reply to/forward emails from certain email addresses, I get the following error: 
"Microsoft Word is set to be your default editor. However, Word is not avaliable, not installed or is not the same version as Outlook. The Outlook email editor will be used instead." 

Then soon afterwards, when trying to use Word, I often get this error: "Changes have been made that affect the global template, normal.dot. Do you want to save these changes?"

And this time, all of Word has just locked up and I'm completely unable to access my document.


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Do you save the changes when you get this message:

Then soon afterwards, when trying to use Word, I often get this error: "Changes have been made that affect the global template, normal.dot. Do you want to save these changes?"

Was this file something that was sent to you in Outlook or is this an email that you're editing in Word?

One thing you may want to check is if you can get access to the temp file that is normally created when you open a Word document. You may even be able to make a copy of the open document using Windows Explorer if you're able to find its location.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Yes, I saved the changes - however this "global changes" message occured AFTER I my document had already locked up. 
- also I recently deleted my normal.dot file in an attempt to solve my outlook problem, and this is the first time I have received this "global changes" message since then. 

This file is neither a file that was sent to me nor an email that I am editing - it has nothing to do with Outlook. Just an essay I am working on in Word.

How would I go about accessing the temp file? 
So I would try to make a copy of this temp file?
Also would this still work if I haven't even saved the changes to the file?


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Word temp files should be in:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp

I can't say if the changes you've made will be in the temp file. Can you access the original file and make a copy of it in Windows explorer? Go to the original location of the file and try to copy and paste the file. Open the copy and see if your changes are in there.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

I tried making a copy of the file already - and it had not saved my changes.

Basically, since I got that Outlook error regarding using Word as editor, 
I happened to open up a fresh window in word, it opened a blank word document and from the file menu within this blank document, it showed my OTHER word docs open - including the essay i have been working on and I tried click my essay open and THEN got message that it is "locked by Lisa for editing" and can only open a read-only version.


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Have you closed down Outlook and the other blank documents?


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Outlook is closed - but I am not able to even* close *any word documents.


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Check Task Manager just to be sure Outlook isn't in a hung state. One other thing you can try is to temporarily disable automatic background saves and always create backup copy.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Thanks again for the reply. 
I checked Taskmanager - outlook is completely closed. 
How do I "temporarily disable automatic background saves" ? 

Do you know how will I actually be able to recover my unsaved document though?


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

Unfortunately I don't have a good answer, it's hard to say how it got into this state. 

What version of Word are you using? Was it a trial version or a fully licensed version?
The autosave options are usually part of the Tools>Options page.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

I am using Word 2003 - it is a full version, not trial. 

I have a feeling it could be to do with the normal.dot file having been modified somehow(caused by my Outlook problem) whilst my Word file was open

Basically I just need some way to save it or at least unlock it!


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## JMPC (Jan 15, 2011)

The only thing I've found from searching is that maybe turning off the auto save would unlock the file. There doesn't seem to be a known fix for this when it happens.


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Ok thanks, I will try this!


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Still no joy unfortunately! I'm really surprised there isn't a fix just to unlock a file!


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

Cross-posted at:

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...suddenly-locked-for-editing-by-me-585857.html
and
Word 2003 document suddenly "locked for editing" by me

Lisa, for cross-posting etiquette, please read: A message to forum cross posters | Excelguru.ca


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## lisa801 (Jun 16, 2011)

Oops! Sorry, I did not realise, I'm pretty new to posting on forums!


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