Error: Could not use '.mdb'; file already in use

[Moor]

I have two front-end databases, one is version 2.0 and the other is
version 2003. Both have links to tables that are stored in a shared
back-end database
(version 2.0)

First open the 2.0 Front-end database using Access 2.0
Then open the 2003 front-end database using Access 2003 (from another
machine)
Now I cannot open any linked table in Access 2003, I get the error
"Could not use '.mdb'; file already in use.
It seems Access 2.0 locks the whole database.

Jet 2.x and Jet 3.x have different locking mechanisms. But Jet 3.x can
open 2.0 database!!

Upgrading the back-end database to 2003 is not an option.
Upgrading ALL the front-ends to 2003 is not an option either.
I have to live with the situation of mixed front-end and 2.0 back-end

Thanks for reading,

Mourad