Desktop

This problem usually occurs when someone else has the document open at the same time (they were in first you have to wait)

application is locked for editing. Does it say by another user?

Is this a stand alone system?

Are you on a network where people also use this document?

Is a re-install an issue if your not on a network?

A little bit more info and i think i can help.

It's hard keeping track of questions on here when looking for a reply.

If you have the disks do a full reinstall of office it will take 10 or so minutes.

This is usually the last thing i would suggest it's like an easy way out, because it's easy to reinstall it's not really a bother.

Did someone else set these docs up? Because if that is the case security could be enabled on the documents.

Message me with a reply if you can.

A quicker way is to open one of the Office apps, click on Help > Detect and Repair and let it run. If that doesn't fix it I would definitely do a virus scan and spyware scan, and try to repair it again. If that doesn' get it then I would go with the total uninstall/reinstall. If you can run a registry cleaner on your system before the reinstall. Office leaves behind a lot of registry gunk.

Delete the normal.dot file from your profile and see if you can create a new document.