See the article "I keep getting files that I am working on locked for
editing. Word only allows me to open them read-only" at:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/LockedFiles.htm


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP
"Frank Vivelo" Frank wrote in message
...
While typing a document in Word, message box appeared saying the program
had
performed an illegal operation and would shut down. After the program
closed
and I re-opened it (several times, including days later) and tried to
recall
my document, Word kept telling me the document was locked for editing and
that I couldn't open it except as a read-only document. I went to take
the
lock off and work with this document. How do I do it?