Excel won't display a spreadsheet

[Guest]

I have a spreadsheet that won't launch.
Excel (97) will run normally and display spreadsheets normally,
except for this one particular spreadsheet.

When I launch the spreadsheet (from either a desktop shortcut,
Windows Explorer, or within Excel) I get the prompt asking whether
to enable or disable macros, but the spreadsheet never appears.
No errors or messages, just the empty Excel.
This is happening across the network on two different computers.

In case Windows thinks it is already in use, I made a copy
of the spreadsheet and ran that, but the copy wouldn't run either.
Then I ran the virus checker on the whole folder, and it found nothing.

The spreadsheet uses a VB Macro that compares numbers and moves
the cursor, using the SheetOnChange event. It doesn't do any file IO
or launch external processes (which might trigger a virus alert).

What could cause a spreadsheet to not launch like this?
Could the macro have gotten corrupted somehow and cause a program
abort at startup? Is there some way to edit the VB Macro even
if the spreadsheet doesn't launch?

 

[Nick Hodge]

Mike

Try opening the file with the shift key held down as if there are any
auto-open macros that are causing this, that should stop them firing

Try opening XL in safe mode. at the run prompt under start in windows type
excel.exe /safe and see if you can get in the file that way

As a last resort try turning the macro security level to low (Caution: If
there is a virus this could cause an issue so do not take this step in any
mission critical area and be prepared to fritz a machine!) and open the file
with this setting


--
HTH
Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
(e-mail address removed)
www.nickhodge.co.uk

FREE UK OFFICE USER GROUP MEETING, MS READING, 27th APRIL 2007
www.officeusergroup.co.uk

 

[Guest]

When I open with the shift held down, it still won't display the spreadsheet.
When I open with "Excel.exe /Safe", it tries to open the file "afe".
I don't think I can change the virus settings.
Don't know if this matters, but Excel is 97, and OS is XP Pro.

Mike

 

[Guest]

Just a thought, I wonder if you could just hit the tab, do a "Move or Copy"
the spreadsheet, click the spot to copy, and move the spreadsheet to another
new spreadsheet, save it, then try opening it. I wonder if that would work.
I have had similar things happen, and this resolved all issues.

 

[Guest]

That won't work, the spreadsheet won't open at all.
All I get is the blank Excel screen.

Mike

 

[Guest]

Well, duh! I can't believe I missed that. I don't know anything about Excel
2007, but it appears you have done everything I would have done. Good luck.

 

[Nick Hodge]

Mike

Try searching for a file called Excelx.xlb (The x is the version number, so
search for *.xlb). This file is hidden so you must enable search for hidden
files and folders. Move this file from it's location and try opening Excel.
If it works you can delete the old one. It's the toolbar customisation file
and Excel creates a new one when it can't find one. (All toolbar
customisations will be gone

--
HTH
Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
(e-mail address removed)
web: www.nickhodge.co.uk
blog: www.nickhodge.co.uk/blog/

FREE UK OFFICE USER GROUP MEETING, MS READING, 27th APRIL 2007
www.officeusergroup.co.uk

 

[Nick Hodge]

Mike

Your replies through the web interface are trimming the thread so I didn't
re-read. If this is for Excel 2007 ignore my last post

--
HTH
Nick Hodge
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Southampton, England
(e-mail address removed)
web: www.nickhodge.co.uk
blog: www.nickhodge.co.uk/blog/

FREE UK OFFICE USER GROUP MEETING, MS READING, 27th APRIL 2007
www.officeusergroup.co.uk

 

[Guest]

I wonder if you ever solved the problem. I just encountered the same issue in
Excel 2002 in Windows XP Professional, Office10. It affects only one file;
other files open normally. Recently I updated a bunch of security patches and
got IE 7.0 in the bargain, but I don't recall whether this file was open when
the downloads were downloading.