Excel files don't open

[Sandy]

I have several multi-sheet workbooks I created in Office Excel X.
When I try to open them in Office Excel 2004, the progress bar
indicates that the files are being opened, but then nothing happens.
Excel is not hung, it is just as though I never tried to open the
files. I've checked the preferences on the files, changed the names
of them, etc., and no luck. Any help?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I have several multi-sheet workbooks I created in Office Excel X.
When I try to open them in Office Excel 2004, the progress bar
indicates that the files are being opened, but then nothing happens.
Excel is not hung, it is just as though I never tried to open the
files. I've checked the preferences on the files, changed the names
of them, etc., and no luck. Any help?

Is it possible that the file was saved hidden? Look in the windows menu to
see if you can unhide it. Or if it appears, try arranging.

 

[Bob]

Is it possible that the file was saved hidden? Look in the windows menu to
see if you can unhide it. Or if it appears, try arranging.

I have the same problem as Sandy. And, I sent the file to another
person using a Windows pc and he was able to open the file. He
renamed it, sent it back, and it still behaves the same for me:
appears to be opening, but nothing there. It's not listed in the
windows menu, and unhide is not active.

 

[SRumper]

I can't open certain excel files either. There doesn't seem to be any
rhyme or reason for the files not opening. They are MS Excel workbook
files. Some files I saved just a few months ago, before I upgraded to
Excel 2004. When I try to open them in Office Excel 2004, the
progress bar indicates that the files are being opened for 1-2
seconds, but then nothing happens. Excel is not hung up but the files
don't open. I've checked the preferences on the files, in Excel and
changed the file names. I repaired permissions, re-installed the
application and even reloaded the files from a back-up disk, and they
still won't open. When I check "get info" , MS Excel is the default
application. I even took it to an Apple genius bar and they couldn't
figure it out. Help?

 

[SRumper]

Intermittently, I can't open certain excel files. There doesn't seem
to be any rhyme or reason for the files not opening. They are MS
Excel workbook files. Some files I saved just a few months ago,
before I upgraded to Excel 2004. When I try to open them in Office
Excel 2004, the progress bar indicates that the files are being opened
for 1-2 seconds, but then nothing happens. Excel is not hung up but
the files don't open. I've checked the preferences on the files, in
Excel and changed the file names. I repaired permissions,
re-installed the application and even reloaded the files from a
back-up disk, and they still won't open. When I checked "get info"
for the file and MS Excel is the default application. I even took it
to an Apple genius bar and they couldn't figure it out. Help?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

Intermittently, I can't open certain excel files. There doesn't seem
to be any rhyme or reason for the files not opening. They are MS
Excel workbook files. Some files I saved just a few months ago,
before I upgraded to Excel 2004. When I try to open them in Office
Excel 2004, the progress bar indicates that the files are being opened
for 1-2 seconds, but then nothing happens. Excel is not hung up but
the files don't open. I've checked the preferences on the files, in
Excel and changed the file names. I repaired permissions,
re-installed the application and even reloaded the files from a
back-up disk, and they still won't open. When I checked "get info"
for the file and MS Excel is the default application. I even took it
to an Apple genius bar and they couldn't figure it out. Help?

Do the files have macros in them? Try opening the files with the Shift
key down.

Does this happen when XL is already started, as well as when you start
it by opening the files?

It's possible your files are corrupted. If you have access to
WinXL02/03, try opening them there - those apps have more advanced
abilities to handle file corruption. Alternatively, try OpenOffice:

http://www.openoffice.org

which requires the X Window system, such as Apple's X11:


http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/x11/

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I can't open certain excel files either. There doesn't seem to be any
rhyme or reason for the files not opening. They are MS Excel workbook
files. Some files I saved just a few months ago, before I upgraded to
Excel 2004. When I try to open them in Office Excel 2004, the
progress bar indicates that the files are being opened for 1-2
seconds, but then nothing happens. Excel is not hung up but the files
don't open. I've checked the preferences on the files, in Excel and
changed the file names. I repaired permissions, re-installed the
application and even reloaded the files from a back-up disk, and they
still won't open. When I check "get info" , MS Excel is the default
application. I even took it to an Apple genius bar and they couldn't
figure it out. Help?

See a couple of suggestions at your later post.

 

[SRumper]

I spent one hour with a MS technician today and they could not solve
this problem, even after uninstalling MS 2004 and installing. When I
emailed the file to the technician, she could open it with a PC,
verifying the file wasn't corrupt. She was elevating the issue to the
next level. I should hear something in the next few days.
Interestingly, some files that I couldn't open before, I now can, but
there are new files that I can't open.

 

[SRumper]

I spent one hour with a MS technician today and they could not solve
this problem, even after uninstalling MS 2004 and installing. When I
emailed the file to the technician, she could open it with a PC,
verifying the file wasn't corrupt. She was elevating the issue to the
next level. I should hear something in the next few days.
Interestingly, some files that I couldn't open before, I now can, but
there are new files that I can't open.

 

[Paul Berkowitz]

I spent one hour with a MS technician today and they could not solve
this problem, even after uninstalling MS 2004 and installing. When I
emailed the file to the technician, she could open it with a PC,
verifying the file wasn't corrupt. She was elevating the issue to the
next level. I should hear something in the next few days.
Interestingly, some files that I couldn't open before, I now can, but
there are new files that I can't open.

You sent this twice, but you didn't reply to JE McGimpsey's suggestions made
4 hours earlier. Since you appear to be using Web access via Goggle rather
than NNTP News posting (e.g. in Entourage) it may be that you hadn't seen
JE's suggestions yet. You must have by now. Did you try them?

--
Paul Berkowitz
MVP MacOffice
Entourage FAQ Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/faq/index.html>
AppleScripts for Entourage: <http://macscripter.net/scriptbuilders/>

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PLEASE always state which version of Microsoft Office you are using -
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