unable to read file with "xlw" extension

[namsilat]

I have an old but very important file with a "xlw" extension which I
cannot open with Excel. When I tried to open it, some error message
came up indicating the file cannot be accessed, as though the file is
not there. Any idea?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Sounds like a workspace file, which contains information about
workbooks, but not the workbooks themselves. So the workbook files may
not be able to be accessed... You'll need to find the workbook files.

From XL Help ("Save a group of workbooks in a customized workspace")

You can open a group of workbooks in one step by creating a workspace
file. A workspace file saves information about all open workbooks,
such as their locations, window sizes, and screen positions. When you
open a workspace file by using the Open command (File menu),
Microsoft Excel opens each workbook saved in the workspace. The
workspace file does not contain the workbooks themselves, and you
must continue to save changes you make to the individual workbooks.

IIRC, *very* old (e.g., XL4) workspaces saved worksheets in the .xlw
file, but more recent versions should be able to open those.

 

[namsilat]

that may explain it... from the property the file was created in 1999.
It also says "compressed". The error I received happened when I tried
to open it using Eexcel on XP machine. I tried opening it on another
machine running Windows 98 SE with Excel 97, and another file name
poped up, except I have no idea what this other file is.