Calculate Field Fails in ArcGIS Pro 2.2

[TimFast]

I am running ArcGIS Pro 2.2 I have two shapefiles (ShpA and ShpB). I join ShpB to ShpA and I want to update a column in ShapA from ShpB using Calculate Field. This has worked in the past; however, now it fails with the following error:

ERROR 999999: Something unexpected caused the tool to fail. Please refer to the error help for potential solutions, or contact Esri Technical Support http://esriurl.com/support.
Cannot acquire a lock.
Cannot acquire a lock.
Failed to execute (CalculateField).

No other files are open and no other instances of Pro or desktop are running. The same procedure works fin in Desktop.

[MichaelVolz]

When you say this worked in the past, do you mean it worked in previous versions of Pro?

[TimFast]

Yes, however it works in the following cases:

No records are selected in either table

Records are only selected in ShpA

when records in shpB are selected and ShpA has records selected it fails

[JakeSkinner]

Hi Tim,

I try to avoid using shapefiles at all cost.  Can you try importing the shapefiles into a File Geodatabase to see if you receive the same error?

[JoeBorgione]

I try to avoid using shapefiles at all cost.  

^^^^^ THIS! ^^^^^^

[MichaelVolz]

Tim:

If you convert the shapefiles to file gdb feature classes does the field calculator work in that scenario?  I ask because I am getting the same error message with file gdbs when trying to perform a field calculation on a field in the feature class that is being populated by a field calculation from the joined table.  I have only being working with text fields thus far.

[DuncanHornby]

I posted this question earlier this year but have had no reply. The experiences I am having with Pro seem to be mirrored by yourselves?

For what it's worth, joining excel tables and subsequent field calculates seem very flaky.