I have .el files compiled in earlier versions of Emacs and
I get an error trying to load them in 23.1

  load-file: Invalid read syntax: "invalid multibyte form"

I try to recompile them, but I get an error:

  byte-compile-file: Removing old name: permission denied, c:/djb/emacs/filemenu.e

I must exit emacs to release the lock on the file, then
I can open and byte-compile the .el file and load the .elc

I've attached a copy of my existing filemenu.elc and filemenu.el
but this occurs on other .elc files as well.

In GNU Emacs 23.1.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2009-07-30 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.4)'

Important settings:
  value of $LC_ALL: nil
  value of $LC_COLLATE: nil
  value of $LC_CTYPE: nil
  value of $LC_MESSAGES: nil
  value of $LC_MONETARY: nil
  value of $LC_NUMERIC: nil
  value of $LC_TIME: nil
  value of $LANG: ENU
  value of $XMODIFIERS: nil
  locale-coding-system: cp1252
  default-enable-multibyte-characters: t

Major mode: Emacs-Lisp

Minor modes in effect:
  tooltip-mode: t
  tool-bar-mode: t
  mouse-wheel-mode: t
  menu-bar-mode: t
  file-name-shadow-mode: t
  global-font-lock-mode: t
  font-lock-mode: t
  blink-cursor-mode: t
  global-auto-composition-mode: t
  auto-composition-mode: t
  auto-encryption-mode: t
  auto-compression-mode: t
  line-number-mode: t
  transient-mark-mode: t

Recent input:
M-x l o a d - f i l e <return> d j b / e m a c s / 
f i l e m e n <tab> c <return> C-x C-f d j b / e m 
a c s / f i l e <tab> m e <tab> <return> M-x b y t 
e - c o m p i SPC f SPC <return> f i l e m e n u . 
e l <return> M-x r e p o r t - e m a c s - b u SPC 
<return>

Recent messages:
For information about GNU Emacs and the GNU system, type C-h C-a.
Loading c:/djb/emacs/filemenu.elc (compiled; note, source file is newer)...
load-file: Invalid read syntax: "invalid multibyte form"
Compiling c:/djb/emacs/filemenu.el...
Fontifying *Compile-Log*... (regexps.......................................................)
Compiling c:/djb/emacs/filemenu.el...done
byte-compile-file: Removing old name: permission denied, c:/djb/emacs/filemenu.elc


-- 
David J. Biesack, SAS
SAS Campus Dr. Cary, NC 27513
www.sas.com    (919) 531-7771