PRB: Troubleshooting Error 80004005 "Couldn't Lock File" in ASP (306441)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Active Server Pages
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 1.5
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.0
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.1
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.1 SP1
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.1 SP2
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.5
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.5 SP1
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.5 SP2
  • Microsoft Data Access Components 2.6
This article was previously published under Q306441

SYMPTOMS

When you use ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and ODBC to try to connect to a Microsoft Access database, you may receive the following error message:
Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80004005'
[Microsoft][ODBC Microsoft Access 97 Driver] Couldn't lock file.

CAUSE

This error message occurs because you do not have the correct permissions to create the lock file (.ldb) for a Microsoft Access database. By default, a lock file is created in the same folder as the Microsoft Access .mdb file.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:
  1. Grant the user who is accessing the database (usually the IUSR_<computername> account) full control to the share or folder.
  2. Sometimes permissions are restricted on the share because the file is intended to be read-only. You may want to try to change the connection mode, which the following code demonstrates:
       Set Conn = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
   Conn.Mode = adModeShareDenyWrite    '8
    
   'From Adovbs.inc
   '---- ConnectModeEnum Values ----
   'Const adModeUnknown = 0
   'Const adModeRead = 1
   'Const adModeWrite = 2
   'Const adModeReadWrite = 3
   'Const adModeShareDenyRead = 4
   'Const adModeShareDenyWrite = 8
   'Const adModeShareExclusive = &Hc
   'Const adModeShareDenyNone = &H10

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

174943 PRB: 80004005 "Couldn't Use '(unknown)'; File Already in Use"

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/11/2006
Keywords:kbprb KB306441
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