Can't open files in Excel X for Mac after moving to Intel iMac

[duncan]

After upgrading to an Intel iMac running Leopard, and using Apple's
migration assistant to move files over, Excel tells me I can't open a
key workbook because it is already open. In theory it opens if I go
through the application (instead of by clicking on the document icon),
because I get the opening chime .. but the doc doesn't in fact open.

I may have compounded the problem by throwing out the Excel 2004 trial
edition, as my macro button bar vanished after I did so.

I'm running Excel v.X Service Release 1.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[jdraney]

After upgrading to an Intel iMac running Leopard, and using Apple's
migration assistant to move files over, Excel tells me I can't open a
key workbook because it is already open. In theory it opens if I go
through the application (instead of by clicking on the document icon),
because I get the opening chime .. but the doc doesn't in fact open.

I may have compounded the problem by throwing out the Excel 2004 trial
edition, as my macro button bar vanished after I did so.

I'm running Excel v.X Service Release 1.

Any help is much appreciated!

================================
I am having the exact same problem with a new MacBook and new Office
2004 for MAC. Everything else works fine, I can open .xls files with
Numbers fine but not with Excel. Get the same error message that the
file does not exist or it is already open by another application. I
spent 3 hours on phone with MS tech support and they gave up and said
it was a problem with HD permissions on the MAC and recommended I call
Apple tech support. I called Apple tech support and they said my
system was good and they had not solution but suggested this be posted
to see if anyone has found a solution.

HELP SOMEONE! It's driving me crazy - I know there is fix for this
somewhere . It is interesting that this is the first thing I saw when
I logged on.

Jer

 

[JE McGimpsey]

HELP SOMEONE! It's driving me crazy - I know there is fix for this
somewhere . It is interesting that this is the first thing I saw when
I logged on.

Migration assistant seems to be a frequent contributor to startup
problems.

My recommendation is to take a scorched earth approach.

1A) If possible, run Remove Office from the Office install CD. Remove
any version found.

or

1B) If still can't run it, delete the Microsoft Office X/2004 folder
from Applications, and delete the

~:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

folder (where ~ is your home directory).

2) Empty the trash. Start Disk Utility and repair disk permissions.
Restart your computer.

3) Use Apple's Software Update to ensure you're at version Mac OS X
10.5.1. If not, update and rerun Disk Utility.

4) Install Office from the install disk using the Install wizard. Do not
run any Office app.

5A) For Office v.X: Download the Office 10.1.9 updater from Mactopia

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx

and apply it.

OR

5B) For Office 2004: Download the 11.3.5, 11.3.6, 11.3.7, 11.3.8, and
11.3.9 updaters from Mactopia and apply them in order.

6) Start Disk Utility and repair disk permissions.

7) Start one of the Office apps.

 

[duncan]

Migration assistant seems to be a frequent contributor to startup
problems.

My recommendation is to take a scorched earth approach.

1A) If possible, run Remove Office from the Office install CD. Remove
any version found.

or

1B) If still can't run it, delete the Microsoft Office X/2004 folder
from Applications, and delete the

   ~:Libraryreferences:Microsoft

folder (where ~ is your home directory).

2) Empty the trash. Start Disk Utility and repair disk permissions.
Restart your computer.

3) Use Apple's Software Update to ensure you're at version Mac OS X
10.5.1. If not, update and rerun Disk Utility.

4) Install Office from the install disk using the Install wizard. Do not
run any Office app.

5A) For Office v.X: Download the Office 10.1.9 updater from Mactopia

   http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx

and apply it.

OR

5B) For Office 2004: Download the 11.3.5, 11.3.6, 11.3.7, 11.3.8, and
11.3.9 updaters from Mactopia and apply them in order.

6) Start Disk Utility and repair disk permissions.

7) Start one of the Office apps.

Hi JE,

Thanks for the tip. I shall try it when I've found my installation
disk. Just one question .. will my macros remain if I do an uninstall?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Just one question .. will my macros remain if I do an uninstall?

Depends on where they're stored.

The default location for recording macros is the Personal Macro
Workbook, which is stored, by default, in the

HD:Applications:Microsoft Office X:Office:Startup:Excel

folder. To retain macros stored in the PMW, you'll need to copy that
workbook, since the Remove Office app removes the parent folder.

To avoid that, I do two things:

1) I use an alternate startup folder (Preferences/General), currently
stored in the MUD (Microsoft User Data) folder. That folder isn't
touched by Remove Office.

2) I store any macros that aren't specific to a workbook (or to
workbooks generated from a particular template) in add-ins. The benefit
of that is twofold - (1) I can record macros in the PMW, using it as a
scratch file (in fact, my startup routine kills the PMW if it exists)
and not worry about corruption from editing, and (2) Public functions
and Subs in Add-ins are available to all other workbooks - no need to
specify a workbook name or set an explicit reference.

 

[duncan]

Depends on where they're stored.

The default location for recording macros is the Personal Macro
Workbook, which is stored, by default, in the

   HD:Applications:Microsoft Office X:Office:Startup:Excel

folder. To retain macros stored in the PMW, you'll need to copy that
workbook, since the Remove Office app removes the parent folder.

To avoid that, I do two things:

1) I use an alternate startup folder (Preferences/General), currently
stored in the MUD (Microsoft User Data) folder. That folder isn't
touched by Remove Office.

2) I store any macros that aren't specific to a workbook (or to
workbooks generated from a particular template) in add-ins. The benefit
of that is twofold - (1) I can record macros in the PMW, using it as a
scratch file (in fact, my startup routine kills the PMW if it exists)
and not worry about corruption from editing, and (2) Public functions
and Subs in Add-ins are available to all other workbooks - no need to
specify a workbook name or set an explicit reference.

A miracle has happened. After a <further> restart, this time after
installing the latest Leopard security update, my workbook is running
again, launching without complaint. Its macros are a bit confused,
thinking they are intended for a different worksheet, but reassigning
them seems to do the trick.

Not exactly sure how things sorted themselves out but I'm happy
anyway. I never did reinstall Excel because I can't find the original
disk with which to do an uninstall.

Regardless, thanks for all your advice and, importantly, encouragement