XL: AutoSave Preferences Not Saved on Network

ID: Q124579

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

If you run Microsoft Excel from a network, you may receive either of the following error messages: 

   If you are using Microsoft Excel for Windows
   --------------------------------------------

   AUTOSAVE.XLA is read-only. AutoSave preferences not saved

   -or-

   If you are using Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh
   --------------------------------------------------

   AUTO SAVE is read-only. AutoSave preferences not saved.
WORKAROUNDS

To work around this problem, follow the appropriate method for your version of Microsoft Excel.

Method 1: Microsoft Excel version 4.0 for Windows

To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Copy ALTSTART.XLA, AUTOSAVE.XLA, FILEFNS.DLL to your path or to a 

   directory to which you have read/write permission.
2. On the File menu, click Open and change to the LIBRARY directory.

3. Select ALTSTART.XLA, and click OK. 

   The file will be opened as a hidden file and will prompt you for a path
   pointing to a different default directory that can be located either on
   the local hard disk drive or on a network drive. The alternate startup
   directory should be a directory to which you have read/write permission.
4. Copy any necessary templates from the <drive>:\EXCEL\XLSTART directory 
   (where <drive> is a network drive) to the new default directory.
5. Save the GLOBAL.XLM file to the new default directory.

Method 2: Microsoft Excel Version 4.0 for the Macintosh

To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Copy ALTERNATE STARTUP FOLDER, AUTO SAVE, and FILE FUNCTIONS to your 

   path or to a folder to which you have read/write permission.
2. On the File menu, click Open, and change to the MACRO LIBRARY folder.

3. Select ALTERNATE STARTUP FOLDER and click OK. 

   The file will be opened as a hidden file. You will be prompted to enter
   a path pointing to a different default directory that can be located
   either on the local hard disk drive or on a network drive. The alternate
   startup directory should be a directory to which you have read/write
   permission.
4. Copy any necessary templates from the EXCEL STARTUP FOLDER to the new 
   default directory.
5. Save the GLOBAL MACROS file to the new default directory.

Additional query words: 3.00 4.00 4.00a 5.00 5.00c 7.00 

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbnetwork
Version           : WINDOWS: 3.0,4.0,4.0a,5.0,5.0c,7.0; MACINTOSH: 3.0,4.0,5.0
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: February 4, 1998