Excel worked OK on XP

[William]

Loaded Excel 2000 on to my Vista laptop. I now cannot save my
PERSONAL.xls file created with Windows XP. On Save, a dialog box opens
and states the following:
"Your changes could not be saved to "PERSONAL.XLS, but were saved
to a temporary document named 0C5190000. Close the existing document,
then open the temporary document and save it under a new name."
I cannot find the temp document refered to. I've searched
everywhere. Windows says it does not exist. I have deleted PERSONAL
from xlstart. It says that the folder is now empty. Still every time I
open Excel 0c5190000 loads. I can unhide it from Excel and I can edit
it, but I cannot rename it nor can I delete it.
I have also looked at windows startup, and there is nothing there.
Unfortunately I have tried to save the file more than once and now I
have 5 or 6 of these alpha numeric files loading. They have copied the
macros that I have stored and inserted the alpha numeric file name
into macros. It's a mess, and I can't get rid of them. Please
Help! William S

 

[Peter T]

What happens if you run the following, IOW does it error when you try to
save to the default startup folder

Sub testSartUpFolder()
Dim sStartFldr As String, sFile As String
Dim wb As Workbook

sStartFldr = Application.StartupPath
If Right$(sStartFldr, 1) <> "\" Then
sStartFldr = sStartFldr & "\"
End If

Debug.Print sStartFldr
sFile = sStartFldr & "tempFile.xls"

'' uncomment to delete unwanted file
' Kill sFile
' Exit Sub

Set wb = Workbooks.Add

wb.Worksheets(1).Range("a1") = "temp file"

wb.SaveAs sFile

wb.Close

End Sub

If the above works fine it's not a file permissions issue

Delete the temporary file (assuming it was saved)

Regards,
Peter T

 

[Dave Peterson]

I've seen xl2003 and older create these temporary files, but they usually have 8
characters in their names.

When xl2003 and older saves the file, it saves it as a temporary file with a
funny name (8 characters--no extension) in the same folder.

If the save is successful, xl will delete the original (or rename it to its
backup name (like "backup of book1.xlk)) and if that's successful, xl will
rename the funny named file to the original's name.

Common things that get blamed for interruptions to this process are antivirus
software poking its head in or network errors--either permissions or physical
problems.

=========
I'd use windows Start to look for more XLStart folders. There can be multiple
folders--depending on your upgrade path.

Remember to look for hidden files/folders, too.

=========

Actually, I'm not sure this next portion will work in Vista--but it won't take
too long to test.

If you can't find your files using windows start button|Search, then you could
use an old DOS command to search and delete/move them

Windows Start button|Run
type:
CMD
(to get to the Command prompt)

C:
(to get to the C: drive--change this to the drive that excel is installed on)

cd\
(to get to the root directory)

dir XLStart /s

The /s says to search subfolders, too.

Make a note of the locations of the found folders and then use windows explorer
to examine them.

 

[William]

Thank you Dave for your reply. I used your DOS suggestion, but did
not find any files in xlstart. 0 files 0 bytes.. 4 Dir(s)
105,202,036,736 bytes free. Start Menu shows: Startup (2) files
(empty)
I don't know how to look for hidden files. I should probably disable
the anti virus programs, and see if that solves the problem. I will
still have to deal with all these funny files loading. They are 8
characters as you expected. Please let me know if you think of another
possible solution. William S

 

[Dave Peterson]

Can you use advanced search in windows explorer to specify to look through
hidden folders for hidden files? (I'm not sure how Vista works.)

But if you know the name of the file, you could use that in the Dir function:

dir 12345678 /s

 

[William]

Can you use advanced search in windows explorer to specify to look through
hidden folders for hidden files?  (I'm not sure how Vista works.)

But if you know the name of the file, you could use that in the Dir function:

dir 12345678 /s







--

Dave Peterson- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dave, I have succeeded in finding the path to one of the funny files
using your DOS route. However, when I try to delete it using the del
command I get the following message: "The system cannot find the path
specified."

I typed DIR FD972000/s The path that was given: Directory of c:
\Users\user\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Microsoft Office
\Office\XLStart

We're sooo close to being able to delete these unwanted files. I
hope that you will be able to suggest a way to get over this hump.
William S

 

[Dave Peterson]

if you type this on the command line:

del "C:\that long path\fd972000"

does it get deleted?

You could try using windows explorer to get to that folder and then deleting
from there.

Temporarily turn on a few settings in windows explorer
(WinXP menus--so may have to translate for vista)

Open windows explorer
Tools|Folder Options|view tab
Scroll down and select "Show hidden files and folders"
and uncheck "hide protected operating system files (recommended)"

(make a note of your settings before you change them so that you can change them
back.)

Then try traversing that long folder structure.

I have no idea if Vista has any security settings that will stop you from
deleting the file, though.

ps.
Windows start button|Run (or the equivalent in Vista)
type:
%appdata%
and hit enter
and you may avoid a few levels of clicking.

 

[William]

if you type this on the command line:

del "C:\that long path\fd972000"

does it get deleted?

You could try using windows explorer to get to that folder and then deleting
from there.

Temporarily turn on a few settings in windows explorer
(WinXP menus--so may have to translate for vista)

Open windows explorer
Tools|Folder Options|view tab
Scroll down and select "Show hidden files and folders"
and uncheck "hide protected operating system files (recommended)"

(make a note of your settings before you change them so that you can change them
back.)

Then try traversing that long folder structure.

I have no idea if Vista has any security settings that will stop you from
deleting the file, though.

ps.
Windows start button|Run (or the equivalent in Vista)
type:
%appdata%
and hit enter
and you may avoid a few levels of clicking.



William wrote:

Dave, Thanks for your prompt reply. I will be implementing your
suggestions. It may not be until tomorrow as I will be having to
indure a medical procedure today.
William S

 

[Dave Peterson]

Good luck and hope you do well.

Dave, Thanks for your prompt reply. I will be implementing your
suggestions. It may not be until tomorrow as I will be having to
indure a medical procedure today.
William S