ACC: "Couldn't Lock File; SHARE.EXE Hasn't Been Loaded" Error

• Microsoft Access version 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

When you try to open a Microsoft Access database, you receive the following error message even though you are running SHARE.EXE or VSHARE.386:

   Couldn't lock file; SHARE.EXE hasn't been loaded.

CAUSE

This error can occur if Microsoft Access cannot perform record locking on the database's corresponding .ldb file. If, for example, the .ldb file is set to Read-Only, either on your local hard disk or on a network server, this problem occurs.

With an administrative network setup (setup /a), the .ldb files under the Workdir folder are not created until the first user opens Microsoft Access. This error can also occur if the first user does not have Create rights.

RESOLUTION

Set the .ldb file to Read-Write, not Read-Only. Also give Read, Write, and Create rights to the Workdir folder for each user that is using Microsoft Access.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Access may automatically create a locking information (.ldb) file for a database. This file will have the same name as the database itself, but will have an .ldb extension and will be created in the same folder as the database.

Even if an .ldb file on a network server is set to read-write, network security may cause Microsoft Access to behave as if the file were read- only.

To check whether an .ldb file is read-write or read-only, follow these steps:

In Windows 95:

1. Click the Start button, point to Programs, and then click Windows Explorer.

2. Locate an .ldb File, and using the right mouse button, click the .ldb file, and then click Properties on the menu that appears.

3. In the .ldb Properties dialog box, if the Read-Only check box is checked, clear the check box to set the file to Read-Write.

1. Start File Manager.

2. Locate and then select the .LDB file.

3. From the File menu, choose Properties. If the Read-Only check box is selected, clear the check box to set the file to read-write.

REFERENCES