Knowledge Base

Error message when you try to save a workbook that was opened from a mapped drive location in Excel 2002

Article ID: 838895

Article Last Modified on 4/7/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition

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 try to save a workbook that was opened from a mapped drive (such as Z:\folder) location in Microsoft Office Excel 2003, you may receive one of the following error messages:

'path\filename.xls' cannot be accessed. The file may be read-only, or you may be trying to access a read-only location. Or, the server the document is stored on may not be responding.

Runtime error 1004: Cannot access path\filename

CAUSE

This problem may occur if either of the following conditions is true:

On the File menu, you click Save As, and then type a UNC path (such as \\server\share) in the File name box to resave the file back to its original file name and location.
You programmatically save the file back to its original file name and location by using a UNC path (such as \\server\share).

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do one of the following:

On the File menu, click Save.

Note Do not click Save As on the File menu to resave the file back to its original file name and location by using a UNC location.
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.
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Sub test()
        
   ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs ActiveWorkbook.Path & "\filename.xls"
        
End Sub
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RESOLUTION

How to obtain the hotfix

This issue is fixed in the Excel 2002 Hotfix Package that is dated May 6, 2004. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

829348 Excel 2002 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix package: May 6, 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 activate this hotfix, follow these steps:

Quit Excel 2002.
Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
Locate and then click to select the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Options
Point to New on the Edit menu, and then click DWORD Value.
Type SupportUNCMappedDriveSaveAs, and then press ENTER.
Right-click SupportUNCMappedDriveSaveAs, 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.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Additional query words: universal naming convention

Keywords: kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbhotfixserver kbofficexppostsp3fix KB838895

Microsoft KB Archive/838895

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