Windows 2008 Server: Files Locked for Editing

We have been receiving numerous reports that Mac clients were unable to edit files when opened from a Windows 2008 server share.  Clients would receive the following message when they attempted to open files:

If the user copied the file to their desktop they were able to open it but as soon as they saved it back they would get the same lock message.

The file lock issue existed regardless of whether or not the user connected via SMB or AFP (using ExtremeZIP).  Restarting ExtremeZIP and the server did not resolve the issue; nor did closing all open file connections.

We discovered the following work-around:

• On the server open Control Panel/Folder Options/View
• Put a tick in "Show Hidden Files and Folders"
• Remove the tick in "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)"
• Apply the changes
• Go to the folder with the locked file
• Look for a temp file with a "~$" in front of the file name.  Examples: ~$filename.xls or ~$filename.xlsx
• Delete the temp files

 After deleting the temp files the user could open the file without a problem.

Note: the issues we were seeing were occurring with Excel files.  I don't know if this same procedure will work if you are seeing the file lock with other file types but it is worth a go.