Excel always tries to open all files on Desktop

[rdavidson1]

On an almost-brand-new last-ever G-4 PowerBook, running Tiger (10.4.4),
with a clean-installed (not upgraded) copy of Microsoft Office 2004,
Excel is just about unusable. Every time Excel (and no other software,
including no other component of Office) opens, it attempts to open
every file on the Desktop (and also files that were created on the
Desktop but then moved off the Desktop into other folders).

Do I need to (1) Trash some preferences file(s) (which?) and try
launching again, (2) re-install Excel 2004 (with or without preceding
de-installation?), (3) re-install Office 2004 (with or without
preceding de-installation?), or (4) try something else (what?)?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

On an almost-brand-new last-ever G-4 PowerBook, running Tiger (10.4.4),
with a clean-installed (not upgraded) copy of Microsoft Office 2004,
Excel is just about unusable. Every time Excel (and no other software,
including no other component of Office) opens, it attempts to open
every file on the Desktop (and also files that were created on the
Desktop but then moved off the Desktop into other folders).

Do I need to (1) Trash some preferences file(s) (which?) and try
launching again, (2) re-install Excel 2004 (with or without preceding
de-installation?), (3) re-install Office 2004 (with or without
preceding de-installation?), or (4) try something else (what?)?

First - unlike the universal solution for Windows, you should almost
never reinstall a Mac application, including Office applications. They
just don't corrupt very often, and reinstalling doesn't fix most
problems.

I suspect you made the Desktop your Alternate Startup Folder in
Preferences/General. Every file in the Startup or Alternate Startup
folder will be opened when XL starts up.

Try starting up while holding the shift key. Delete the Alternate
Startup Folder entry. Close XL. Start up normally - things should be
fixed.

 

[rdavidson1]

I don't recall setting that preference during installation or
thereafter, but following your instructions did the trick just fine.
Thanks!