having problems with excel telling me files are read only any ideas why?

Question

have scanned excel and word and also do not use passwords.
also when i save files and give them new names the pc is saying file already exists

Answer 1

A couple of possible problems:
1) update and run your virus scanner - could be a macro virus
2) you might be trying to modify a file that is open somewhere else. For instance, if you are dealing with a merge file, Word will open that file. When you try to open it with Excel, it will detect that the file is already open in another application. Be sure you are in only one application at a time.

Answer 2

Navigate to where the folder where the file is located.
Right click on the file and select properties
In the Attributes section, uncheck the Read-Only box.

Answer 3

huskie h's answer is one possibility. It's also possible that whoever created the spreadsheet made it read only within Excel. If that's the case you'd be asked for a password to open it normally. You'd need the password from the person who created the spreadsheet.