Microsoft KB Archive/289681

= You may receive a &quot;file already in use&quot; error message when you try to open an Access database that is located on a server =

Article ID: 289681

Article Last Modified on 3/26/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Office Access 2003
 * Microsoft Office Access 2007
 * Microsoft Access 2002 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q289681



This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.accdb and .mdb).

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

For a Microsoft Access 2000 version of this article, see 202171.



For a Microsoft Access 97 version of this article, see 183936.



SYMPTOMS
When you try to open a database that is located on a server, you may receive the following error message:

Couldn't use ; file already in use.



CAUSE
If a user opens a database and doesn't have create rights for the folder in which the database is located, the Microsoft Jet database engine can't create the locking information file (*.ldb in Access 2003 and in earlier versions of Access and *.laccdb in Access 2007) that is necessary for multiple users to open the database. Therefore, a user who doesn't have create rights opens the database exclusively if a corresponding .ldb file or .laccdb file does not already exist.



RESOLUTION
To prevent this behavior, you must make sure that all users who open the database have read, write, and create rights for the folder in which the database is located.

Additionally, if you are using a security-enhanced Access database, you must make sure that the users who open the database also have Read permission and Write permission on the folder that contains the workgroup information (.mdw) file.



MORE INFORMATION
In order to open a database in shared mode, the Microsoft Jet database engine must be able to create a locking information file (*.ldb or *.laccdb) in the same folder as the database itself.

For more information about .ldb files, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type sharing access database in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

