UNCONF: XL5 Files Locked w/ Norton DiskLock May Be Damaged

• Microsoft Excel for Windows versions 5.0, 5.0c

WARNING: The information in this article has not been confirmed or tested by Microsoft. Some or all of the information in this article has been taken from unconfirmed customer reports. ANY USE BY YOU OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this information "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.

SYMPTOMS

Using Symantec DiskLock version 3.5 for PC may cause Microsoft Excel version 5.0 files which have been locked with DiskLock to become binary files. When the primary user, who should have rights to open those files, tries to open them in Microsoft Excel without first unlocking them with DiskLock, they open as binary text files. If a user logs on to the computer without the rights to open the files, that user receives the message

   file could not be found

CAUSE

Symantec has heard of possible problems with DiskLock for PC and Microsoft Excel version 5.0. The way an program accesses its files may be the issue. DiskLock expects this to be done through MS-DOS interrupts and if this does not happen, the program may have problems.

RESOLUTION

Unlock any Microsoft Excel files locked with DiskLock before you attempt to open them. See the "More Information" section.

STATUS

This problem occurs when you use Microsoft Excel 5.0 and Symantec DiskLock version 3.5.

MORE INFORMATION

Symantec suggests preventing accidental attempts to open and thus damage locked files by using Setup in Norton Disklock to select "Prevent Direct Disk Access." This prevents all users from using "DOS direct disk access functions" (DiskLock documentation p.5- 5). "The direct access functions fail when they are tried and a violation screen is displayed." However files did frequently give a general protection fault (GPF) in Storage.dll when you try to access them while they were locked and Prevent Direct Disk Access was either checked OR unchecked. Rebooting after the GPF, unlocking the files and attempting again to open them shows them to have become binary and the workaround appears to fail.

Disklock is manufactured by Symantec, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.