topic CIFS - false message "___ is locked for editing by 'another user'" in Network and Storage Protocols

CIFS - false message "___ is locked for editing by 'another user'"

cfleming2216 — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:59:50 GMT

Hello.

We have recently migrated our CIFS file storage from a BlueArc system that was in use for about 4 years. To a new NetApp system. We have reports from some users that they are getting a message that files are locked by 'another user' when this cannot be true in cases where only one person has access to a directory. Some ways I have been able to re-create the issue is to select several files (say about 10) and open them at the same time. I can make the error happen on my own workstation. I went back to the old BlueArc system, and I cannot make the error happen using the same practice. I also cannot make the error happen if I slowly open one file at a time, stopping and waiting for one file to open completely before opening the next.

Since my workstation is the same, I am now trying to figure out what could possibly be different between the two NAS systems.

Has anyone seen this in thier environment?

Thanks

Re: CIFS - false message "___ is locked for editing by 'another user'"

jb2cool01 — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:45:38 GMT

Are you virus scanning the Netapp? possibly sounds like the virus scanner cannot keep up with demand.

Re: CIFS - false message "___ is locked for editing by 'another user'"

atwilson — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:56:55 GMT

We have been aware of this intermittent issue in our environment for about 2 years now with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, ever since we switched from physical servers to the NetApp CIFS shares.

Word reports the document is already in use when it is not.
Excel reports that the file is locked by another user when it is not

I recently found a NetApp KB article mentioning similar issues:

KB article : 1011549

https://kb.netapp.com/support/index?page=content&id=1011549

Running cifs stat, it looks like we our maxing out the default multiplex value.

I have not had a chance to try a higher value yet. Hopefully soon.