Word, Excel, or WordPerfect Files Are Inaccessible on the Network

Overview

There is a potentially serious problem when XP and non-XP computers are networked in a workgroup where a network share resides on an NTFS partition on an XP computer (the problem reportedly does not occur in a domain-type network setting). The problem is that other computers will not be able to access files on the XP-NTFS share within, notably, Word, Excel, WordPerfect, and Quattro Pro.

The solution is to update all of the XP computers to SP-2 or better. Alternatively, you can use a FAT32 partition for the XP share.

Details

The problem is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article No. 328170. However, most users report that the temporary fixes suggested in the article do not work. Microsoft reportedly incorporated a solution into XP Service Pack 2. To view the article, search for its number at http://support.microsoft.com.

The problem is also very briefly mentioned in Corel Knowledge Base Article No. 207646, which indicates that Corel's software engineers are working on the problem. While the article implies that only WordPerfect 11 is affected by the problem, I have verified that earlier versions of the Corel WordPerfect Office programs, including Quattro Pro, are affected. To view the article, search for its number at http://support.corel.com.

Besides updating to XP SP2, the most reliable way to work around the problem is to place files that must be shared in a workgroup-type network on a FAT32 partition somewhere on the network — even on an XP machine. If you also want those files on an XP-NTFS partition, you will have to periodically back them up to that location from the shared FAT32 partition.