In SharePoint, when a user chooses to upload a single document or multiple documents into a document library that does not have versioning enabled, the check box for "Overwrite existing files" is automatically checked. If the document library has versioning enabled, the option changes to "Add as a new version to existing files" and is automatically checked.
This behavior can be changed so that the check box is not automatically checked. The steps involved depend on which version of SharePoint you are modifying.
SharePoint 2007
- Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\12\TEMPLATE\Layouts
- Make a backup copy of the upload.aspx file
- Edit the upload.aspx file
- Locate the line which contains: <asp:CheckBox id="OverwriteSingle" Checked="true" Text=<%$Resources:wss,upload_document_Overwrite_file%>" runat="server" />
- Change the Checked="true" to Checked="false"
- Locate the line which contains: <asp:CheckBox id="OverwriteMultiple" Checked="true" Text=<%$Resources:wss,upload_document_Overwrite_version%>" runat="server" />
- Change the Checked="true" to Checked="false"
- Save the file
- The updated file must be copied to all web front ends
- Perform an IISRESET on all web front ends
SharePoint 2010
- Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\TEMPLATE\Layouts
- Make a backup copy of the upload.aspx file
- Make a backup copy of the uploadex.aspx file
- Edit the upload.aspx file
- Locate the line which contains: <asp:CheckBox id="OverwriteSingle" Checked="true" Text=<%$Resources:wss,upload_document_Overwrite_file%>" runat="server" />
- Change the Checked="true" to Checked="false"
- Locate the line which contains: <asp:CheckBox id="OverwriteMultiple" Checked="true" Text=<%$Resources:wss,upload_document_Overwrite_version%>" runat="server" />
- Change the Checked="true" to Checked="false"
- Save the file
- Edit the uploadex.aspx file and make the same changes on the same lines
- Save the file
- The updated files must be copied to all web front ends
- Perform an IISRESET on all web front ends
Now, when the "Upload Document" or "Upload Multiple Documents" dialogs are presented, the "Overwrite existing files" and "Add as a new version to existing files" option will not be checked by default.
