[X-SW] Bizarre Excel "Read Only" error

[Mark Gibson]

Help, I have a weird Excel / networking issue that I need a hand with.

The Network:

1 x G5 iMac 10.3.8, running Office 2004 with 
latest patches sharing the contents of its 
"documents" folder. Connected via AirPort to an 
Airport Extreme base station.

1 x G4 iMac 10.2.8 and Office 2004  with latest 
patches connected via Ethernet to the Airport 
Extreme base station.

2 x G4 iBooks (both 10.3.8 and Office 2004  with 
latest patches) connected via AirPort to the 
AirPort Extreme base station.

The G4 iMac and the iBooks connect to the G5 as 
the owner so permissions should not be an issue.

The Issue:

The G4 iMac is fine. It can open any Office (or 
any other document) without problem. The G5 iMac 
is similarly fine.

The iBooks though have an issue.

The iBooks can open Word and PowerPoint documents 
without any issues. However attempting to open 
Excel documents results in an error message:

"The file Excel Test1.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 or may not be 
responding. Cancel / Retry"

If the file is copied from the G5 iMac to either iBook the file opens fine.

I used my PowerBook as a control and logged onto 
the G5 iMac via the AirPort and was able to open 
the Excel fine without problem. This would 
suggest an Excel issue rather than a networking / 
permissions issue.

Actions to date:

So far I have:

Rebuilt permissions on the iBook. Result: no change.

Deleted the Excel plist files off the iBook and 
created them afresh. Result: no change.

Deleted Office 2004 entirely and re-installed 
(including running the SR1 and Junk mail 
updates). Result: no change.

Re-applied the access privileges on the G5 iMac. Result: no change.

Any thoughts - flashes of brilliance or do tell them to buy Apple Works?

-- 

Regards,

Mark (}-:
+61 (0)4 1927 7198
Skype / AIM / iChat: gibsonm1

Guy 1: "Man, you have a horrible virus on your 
computer!" Guy 2: "I do?" Guy 1: "Oh, my bad, 
It's just Windows©."