Dim filetext As String
    Try
        Using fsi As New FileStream("F:\test.txt", FileMode.Open, _
          FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite), _
            sr As New StreamReader(fsi)
            filetext  = sr.ReadToEnd()
            Console.WriteLine(filetext)
        End Using
    Catch ex As Exception
        Console.WriteLine(ex.Message)
    End Try

Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do - Isaac Asimov