benewman
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Time Machine locked all Excel files. Help?

I have had Macs for many years but have not used Time Machine until yesterday. I turned on Time Machine for the first time and did a back-up last night. Today, I cannot open any Excel file on my computer as they all appear to be read-only.

 

I am using a 27" iMac with Mac OS 10.8.2. I copied an Excel file to my 13" MacBook and it opened fine. I have since turned off Time Machine but still cannot open any Excel files on my 27" iMac.

 

Can you help?

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Feb 18, 2013 5:52 AM

by KarenSelena,Solvedanswer
KarenSelena KarenSelena
Level 4 (1,960 points)
A:

Try this, and tell us what happens.......

 

- quit all open applications

- restart your computer

- open a finder window, and locate one of these excell files.  Once located, hold down your "control" key, and with the control key held down, click on your excel file.  Select "open with", and then choose excell.

 

What happens?

Posted on Feb 18, 2013 7:33 AM

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benewman

Q: Time Machine locked all Excel files. Help?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by KarenSelena,

    KarenSelena KarenSelena Feb 18, 2013 5:55 AM in response to benewman
    Level 4 (1,960 points)
    Feb 18, 2013 5:55 AM in response to benewman

    Ths does not sound like anything that Time Machine would have caused.  Are you restoring these files, from a time machine back up was of another mac?? 

     

    Are you trying to open excell files, with Excell, or are you using Numbers?  

     

    So far this sounds more like a "permission issue".  Can you give more details please.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Feb 18, 2013 5:56 AM in response to benewman
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 18, 2013 5:56 AM in response to benewman

    Time Machine doesn't modify the files it backs up, so there is something else going on.

    You are not trying to open the ones in the backup, are you?

     

    If you Get Info on one of the locked files, is the locked checkbox checked?

    What are the permissions?

  • by benewman,

    benewman benewman Feb 18, 2013 6:13 AM in response to KarenSelena
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 18, 2013 6:13 AM in response to KarenSelena

    No, I am not restoring or opening backed-up files. I just went into my iMac and double-clicked an Excel file. I got an error message that it was read-only like this:

     

    ---

    'My Library' 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.

    ---

     

    I did a "Get Info" on the file to see if it was locked but it was not. Then I recalled that I had activated Time Machine last night. I tried other Excel files and all would not open with the same error message. Files DO open when I move then to my MacBook, however.

     

    All permissions are "Read & Write".

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Feb 18, 2013 6:23 AM in response to benewman
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 18, 2013 6:23 AM in response to benewman

    What folder are they stored in on your Mac?

    Does Excel start normally without opening a file?

  • by benewman,

    benewman benewman Feb 18, 2013 6:31 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 18, 2013 6:31 AM in response to Barney-15E

    I have Excel files everywhere. This particular file is on my Desktop but others in various folders do not open either. When I start Excel, it opens the default blank document.

     

    Thanks so much for helping. I have no idea why this is happening but can only attribute it to Time Machine as it is the only thing that is different from my normal operation.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Feb 18, 2013 7:20 AM in response to benewman
    Level 8 (49,846 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 18, 2013 7:20 AM in response to benewman

    Based on the statement, "'My Library' cannot be accessed," I was wondering why it would be trying to access a Library at all. Is that what the error message stated, or did you substitute the My Library part?

  • by KarenSelena,Solvedanswer

    KarenSelena KarenSelena Feb 18, 2013 7:33 AM in response to benewman
    Level 4 (1,960 points)
    Feb 18, 2013 7:33 AM in response to benewman

    Try this, and tell us what happens.......

     

    - quit all open applications

    - restart your computer

    - open a finder window, and locate one of these excell files.  Once located, hold down your "control" key, and with the control key held down, click on your excel file.  Select "open with", and then choose excell.

     

    What happens?

  • by benewman,

    benewman benewman Feb 18, 2013 8:21 AM in response to KarenSelena
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 18, 2013 8:21 AM in response to KarenSelena

    @KarenSelena

     

    Thank you SO MUCH! I want to apologize for taking your time with this as I should have known to at least restart. I've been a Mac user (solely Macs) since 1986! *banging head* I don't know if restarting solved this or if it was your suggestion with the Control Key but all Excel files now open. Thank you!

     

    @Barney-15E

     

    I'm sorry but the file used in my example was a poor one. This is my actual library (real books!) data base file that I was trying to access. Sorry for the confusion and also thank you for your help!

  • by Matt Wolanski,

    Matt Wolanski Matt Wolanski Jul 2, 2014 7:48 AM in response to benewman
    Level 6 (10,255 points)
    Jul 2, 2014 7:48 AM in response to benewman

    I realize this is an older thread but I just ran into this issue with a restore from Time Machine backup on a clean install Mac OS X 10.9.

     

    It seems that the issue has nothing whatsoever to do with the file in question or the permissions or the ownership of that file and everything to do with hidden files. If Excel saved a temporary file then you will not be able to edit the file until you delete the temp file - which is hidden.

     

    So what you want to do is the following:

    Open a Terminal Session and paste in:          defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool YES

    The paste in:       killall Finder

    Go to the folder where the offending file is and find the copy of that file that is prefixed with ~$ and delete it

    Then past in:      defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool NO

    The paste in:       killall Finder

    or you could leave hidden files visible for a time until you clean up everything - then turn em off when you get cleaned up.

  • by dougal42,

    dougal42 dougal42 Feb 29, 2016 2:01 PM in response to Matt Wolanski
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 29, 2016 2:01 PM in response to Matt Wolanski

    Thank you so much. As you know it is stressful and a nuisance when you encounter problems like this so thanks for resolving for me. However I Wonder how it happened?