File opens as read-only when you open a Word 2003 file from a Web folder by using the Windows WebDAV mini-redirector (884050)

Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure to back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows registry

SYMPTOMS

When you open a Microsoft Office Word 2003 file from a Web folder by using the Microsoft Windows WebDAV mini-redirector in Microsoft Windows Server 2003, the file will open as read-only even though the server may support saving. You receive the following error message:

File in use. file name.doc is locked for editing by 'another user'.
Do you want to: Open a Read Only copy
Create a local copy and merge your changes later
Receive notification when the original copy is available

If the file is located in a Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 document library and the file is closed without saving changes, the file may accidentally be deleted from the server.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because there is a conflict issue with the Windows Server 2003 version of the mini-redirector and how the file is opened by Word 2003. This problem may cause double locking of the file, first by the mini-redirector and second by Microsoft Office through the Microsoft Internet Publishing Provider (MSDAIPP). The problem may cause various IO operations to fail and may cause Word 2003 to try to delete what it believes is a temporary file but what may be the real file instead.

RESOLUTION

This problem was first fixed in a hotfix that is now contained in a service pack. If you installed the latest Office 2003 service pack, you do not have to install the hotfix.

Service pack information

This problem is corrected in Office 2003 Service Pack 2.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

870924 How to obtain the latest service pack for Office 2003

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Office Hotfix Package that is dated September 17, 2004. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

885831 Description of the Word 2003 post-Service Pack 1 hotfix package: September 17, 2004

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
To enable this hotfix, follow these steps:

Quit Word 2003.
Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
Locate and then click to select the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Word\Options
After you select the key that is specified in step 3, point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD.
Type UseTempCopyForNonLocDoc, and then press ENTER.
Right-click UseTempCopyForNonLocDoc, and then click Modify.
In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.