"Cannot recover" Error when opening InDesign doc

Question

We are a Server 2008 w/ XP/SP3 client environment. I have a user that opens an InDesign doc located on a shared network drive, does some work on it, and closes it. When the next person opens it, they get this error: "Cannot recover <<filename>>.indd. Please try to open it using the File menu. The file <<filename>>.indd has been changed since Adobe InDesign last quit (Error code: 11). They can click "OK" to this. The next window that pops up has an error: This document contains links to missing or modified files. Click Fix Links Automatically to have InDesign update this document with the modified files and help you locate missing files..." there's more about using the links panel, etc. They click "don't fix" and the document opens. To the best of my knowledge it is happening on just one file.
I'm pretty sure the second error is because we recently took a server off-line that some of the links had been pointing to; I've informed my users they need to update the links in the files. It's the first error I'm wondering about. The first user I mention at the beginning has been having *tons* of trouble with InDesign the last week or so. It locks up, freezes panes, and needs to be ended through task manager. It's been unbearable for both her and myself trying to figure out what's wrong. My hurdle is that I don't use the software at all but I'm in IT support so so I'm in charge of troubleshooting but not sure where to begin.
Can someone please help with the error we are receiving and also, provide some suggestions on how I can troubleshoot the performance issues?
Her system specs:
XP2002/SP3
3GB RAM
P4 2.8GHz proc.
Not sure on the graphics card but can retrieve it will be helpful. User does use dual monitors.
TIA!

Answer 1

Reinstalling won't necessarily fix the kinds of problems you are having since they may have nothing to do with the application itself. I woud uninstall first, whenever possible, and immediately run any updates. Changing the preferences would be more productive as a first step though. Prefs are not automatically replaced on a new installation, either -- it depends on what option you chose during the uninstall.
For your questions:
1) When a file is opened, ID write a file with the extension .idlk in the same directory. This file tells any instance of ID that the file is already open and in use and prevents multiple users form having simultaneous access. It may or may not be deleted (usually not) during a crash scenario.
2) Generally speaking it is not possible for mere mortals to recover a corrupt ID file. Tommy Donovan at Adobe is collecting them for study, but makes no promise of recovery. The folks at Markzware say they have some luck using their ID2Q plugin for Quark Xpress to open and save as a Quark file, then going back the other way using Q2ID to convert back. They might do a on-off for a small fee.
3) Go to the link in the previous response, and scroll down to the part about repalcing preferences. Editing the prefs in the edit menu is not the same as replcing them with a new set. The files that need to be replaced are InDesign Defaults and InDesign SavedData.
4) If there is something wrong on User 1's system that is corrupting the file, it would show up when User 2 opens it. Export the file to Interchange format (.inx), then open that file and save as a new .indd file. That can often clean up minor problems (i.e. those not serious enough to keep the file from opening at all).