Files are locked for editing by unknown

[mchilds8]

"files are locked for editing by unknown" That is the message I get when I try to open any file. On the bottom of the box, it gives me a choice of "open read only" "open for copy" clicking on either one brings up a page with what appears to be ### marks on the entire page. I cannot get into my files. apache 4.1.2 windows 10

[Hagar Delest]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

It seems that there was a problem when closing the application.
It should not do that on all the files however.
Can you open AOO, create a new file and reopen it afterward?

For the ### issue, see: [Tutorial] The Dreaded Pound Signs: file reduced to ####.
Good luck.

I hope you had backups.

[RoryOF]

@Hagar: there have been a number of such reports recently apparently arising from recent Win 10 updates.

Have any Forum volunteers using Win 10 experienced this problem? If so, what was their solution?

[mchilds8]

as a matter of fact, this happened immediately after a windows 10 update.

[Hagar Delest]

Well, I don't recall any spike in Win 10 reports for this issue.
If this one applies to several files at once, that would be the first.

So far, I've not seen any solution except those presented in the different posts we already point to (recuva/photorec). But they are seldom successful.

[Hagar Delest]

I remember this one very recently (but no ###): [Solved] OpenOffice won't start after Windows 10 update.

[RoryOF]

I am perhaps also thinking of reports on Ask Libreoffice. I'd suggest deletion of the OO User profile. If that doesn't cure the problem, then I would uninstall OO, reboot the computer, then reinstall OO. As I don't use Win 10, I have no idea whether that path will work. If it were me, I would not use the Windows uninstall - I'd use Revo uninstaller to remove all traces of OO; I do not recommend such a drastic path to those without sufficient experience.

[Bill]

I remember this one very recently (but no ###): [Solved] OpenOffice won't start after Windows 10 update.

That one was solved by simply restarting the computer.

[Hagar Delest]

+1 to to both last comments.
Perhaps the trick is that a reboot is now required for Windows 10. Something may be kept in memory or in the registry. Perhaps closing the session and logging again is enough.