Can't open existing Excel files

"Jan Karel Pieterse" wrote:

> Hi Paul,
>
> > 1) When trying to open existing excel file the computer looks for XP
> > Professional, which I've never had.
>
> Try this:
>
> Start, run,
> "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /unregserver
>
> After that:
>
> Start, run,
> "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /regserver
>
> If that fails, I guess you need to remove office and install it again.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jan Karel Pieterse
> Excel MVP
> http://www.jkp-ads.com

Thank you Jan for your advice.
My computer does not recognize the program you suggested.
I think the problem started when I took a homework project home from the
university and uploaded it to my computer to finish it for turn in the next
day.

Apparently, the university uses MS Office Professional in their labs and I,
of course, do not.

Now, my computer has been tricked into thinking that any Excel file is
somehow in MS Office Professional format and any of the old ones (which up to
this point worked perfectly) must be opened with Professional.

I hesitate to uninstall Office and then reinstall it, even though I still
have the original discs, because I don't have a clue about how to do it and
am uncertain about what would happen to existing Word files.

Is the scenario I described possible? Could my old Excel files and program
been affected this way?

R,
Paul B
>

Hi Paul,

> Thank you Jan for your advice.
> My computer does not recognize the program you suggested.
> I think the problem started when I took a homework project home from the
> university and uploaded it to my computer to finish it for turn in the next
> day.

I strongly doubt that can cause this.

> Apparently, the university uses MS Office Professional in their labs and I,
> of course, do not.
>
> Now, my computer has been tricked into thinking that any Excel file is
> somehow in MS Office Professional format and any of the old ones (which up to
> this point worked perfectly) must be opened with Professional.

Nope, this has nothing to do with it. It doesn't matter to Excel to what kind of
Office package it belongs and it should start normally.

> I hesitate to uninstall Office and then reinstall it, even though I still
> have the original discs, because I don't have a clue about how to do it and
> am uncertain about what would happen to existing Word files.

Your data files will not be affected at all.

> Is the scenario I described possible? Could my old Excel files and program
> been affected this way?

I don't think so.

Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
http://www.jkp-ads.com

"Jan Karel Pieterse" wrote:

> Hi Paul,
>
> > Thank you Jan for your advice.
> > My computer does not recognize the program you suggested.
> > I think the problem started when I took a homework project home from the
> > university and uploaded it to my computer to finish it for turn in the next
> > day.
>
> I strongly doubt that can cause this.
>
> > Apparently, the university uses MS Office Professional in their labs and I,
> > of course, do not.
> >
> > Now, my computer has been tricked into thinking that any Excel file is
> > somehow in MS Office Professional format and any of the old ones (which up to
> > this point worked perfectly) must be opened with Professional.
>
> Nope, this has nothing to do with it. It doesn't matter to Excel to what kind of
> Office package it belongs and it should start normally.
>
> > I hesitate to uninstall Office and then reinstall it, even though I still
> > have the original discs, because I don't have a clue about how to do it and
> > am uncertain about what would happen to existing Word files.
>
> Your data files will not be affected at all.
>
> > Is the scenario I described possible? Could my old Excel files and program
> > been affected this way?
>
> I don't think so.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jan Karel Pieterse
> Excel MVP
> http://www.jkp-ads.com
>
> I reinstalled the program from the original disc. Now everything is fine. ...and there was much rejoicing.
Thanks,
Paul B

Hi Paul,

> I reinstalled the program from the original disc. Now everything is fine. ...and there was much rejoicing.
> Thanks,

Great this is solved.
Thanks for letting me know.

Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
http://www.jkp-ads.com

"Jan Karel Pieterse" wrote:

> Hi Paul,
>
> > 1) When trying to open existing excel file the computer looks for XP
> > Professional, which I've never had.
>
> Try this:
>
> Start, run,
> "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /unregserver
>
> After that:
>
> Start, run,
> "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /regserver
>
> If that fails, I guess you need to remove office and install it again.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jan Karel Pieterse
> Excel MVP
> http://www.jkp-ads.com
>
>

Hey,
I just had to change the location of my office in your string and got it
working again... Thanks a bunch

Worked for me! Was having Office XP SP3 update problem, followed by problems
opening existing Excel files, because when opening an xls file tried to
install Office XP Pro, and it asked for the Office CD that I don't have and
it was looking for PRORET.MSI. So, I did the following and it cleared it up.
Many thanks to PaulB and Jan!

1) searched for my excel.exe file, found it in the Office10 folder. So I
edited Jan's instruction below and then...

2) Start, run,
"c:\program files\microsoft office\office10\excel.exe" /unregserver

3) Start, run,
"c:\program files\microsoft office\office10\excel.exe" /regserver

--
Whitey


"Marky Mark" wrote:

>
>
> "Jan Karel Pieterse" wrote:
>
> > Hi Paul,
> >
> > > 1) When trying to open existing excel file the computer looks for XP
> > > Professional, which I've never had.
> >
> > Try this:
> >
> > Start, run,
> > "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /unregserver
> >
> > After that:
> >
> > Start, run,
> > "c:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe" /regserver
> >
> > If that fails, I guess you need to remove office and install it again.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Jan Karel Pieterse
> > Excel MVP
> > http://www.jkp-ads.com
> >
> >
>
> Hey,
> I just had to change the location of my office in your string and got it
> working again... Thanks a bunch