"This File is In Use..." but it's not

[DBinPhilly]

We are having some sort of network problem. A table in its own separate database file is stating that: (paraphrasing)

"This file is in use. Close the file and try again."

but the file is not in use. There is no locking file open, and furthermore, multiple users have used the file simultaneously for the last 12 years without a problem.

Of course the file is critical and everyone on the network needs the data but are locked out.

We cannot even do a Copy to move the data to another file name. I have never had a problem copying a database even when it was in use by someone else.

Some guru out there must have an answer.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

How did you solve it?

 

[DBinPhilly]

When in doubt, reboot.

I'm pretty sure that I've got network connectivity problems and the link to one of my tables timed out during a query that was accessing the table. Somehow it put a permanent lock on the table. The table was on a NAS device which I turned off and rebooted. That did the trick.

It will reoccur, I suspect.

 

[Frothingslosh]

It will reoccur, I suspect.

If you expect it to recur, I would strongly suggest regularly backing up the file. I've had lost connections during saves completely corrupt database files before, and you really don't want to risk losing everything.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

I have seen that before. I suspect there is some "session lock" going on, but it seems hard to clear the locks without rebooting.