ACC1x: Low Number of Share Locks Can Cause Error Message

ID: Q96904

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

You receive the error message "Can't save; record is locked by another user" in Microsoft Access, even when only one user (in one session on one computer) is using a database opened for shared access.


CAUSE

This error can be caused by an insufficient number of share locks.


RESOLUTION

Be sure that the number of share locks is set to 500 or more. The number of share locks is set by the /L:xxxx parameter when SHARE.EXE is invoked, usually in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, as follows: 


   C:\DOS\SHARE.EXE /L:500


The Microsoft Access Setup program modifies your AUTOEXEC.BAT file and sets the number of share locks to 500, but some other program may alter that value.

Although 500 share locks are sufficient for most Microsoft Access applications, some applications may have problems related to the number of share locks. You may need to gradually increase the number of share locks until these problems disappear. Try to add as few share locks as possible, since each share lock uses memory.

Note that if you are running Microsoft Access under Windows for Workgroups in 386 Enhanced mode, then you do not need to load SHARE.EXE in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file. VSHARE.386, which is loaded automatically by Windows for Workgroups in 386 Enhanced mode, will take care of this problem.


STATUS

This behavior no longer occurs in Microsoft Access version 2.0.

Additional query words: share-lock shared locks 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbusage GnlMu 
Version           : 1.0 1.1
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: March 20, 1999