Excel 2007 won't open earlier versions

[Andrew]

Using Vista Business Edition, Office 2007 Enterprise.

If I double-click on a spreadsheet saved with an earlier version of Excel,
all I get is a unusable blank window with a zoom bar at the top and no
toolbar or menu tabs, no control box, no anything. The only way I can close
the application at that point is by using Task Manager to end it.

However if I open Excel first then use the open menu or drag the file onto
Excel, it works OK.

Any ideas anyone?

TIA
Andrew

 

[Nick Hodge]

Andrew

Try a couple of things

1) Go to Office Button>Excel Options>Add Ins and click the 'Go...' button.
Deselect all add-ins and see if the issue goes away (PDF Maker is the
favourite to cause this issue)
2) Under Excel Options again go to 'Advanced' and ensure 'Ignore other
applications that use DDE' under the 'General' section is UN-CHECKED

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

 

[George Maxfield]

Andrew

Try a couple of things

1) Go to Office Button>Excel Options>Add Ins and click the 'Go...' button.
Deselect all add-ins and see if the issue goes away (PDF Maker is the
favourite to cause this issue)
2) Under Excel Options again go to 'Advanced' and ensure 'Ignore other
applications that use DDE' under the 'General' section is UN-CHECKED

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

 

[George Maxfield]

Andrew

Try a couple of things

1) Go to Office Button>Excel Options>Add Ins and click the 'Go...' button.
Deselect all add-ins and see if the issue goes away (PDF Maker is the
favourite to cause this issue)
2) Under Excel Options again go to 'Advanced' and ensure 'Ignore other
applications that use DDE' under the 'General' section is UN-CHECKED

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

I have the same problem using Vista Ultimate and Office 2007 Professional.
This is a fresh install of Vista and Office. I have no add-ins loaded and
"Ignore other applications that use DDE" is unchecked. It's an intermittent
problem, doesn't always happen. Have to use Task Manager to kill Excel and
try again. If i open Excel first then open the file it works.

Can you help?