Format Cell Problem

[Polk Nursery Co., Inc.]

When clicking on the format cell option on one of our computers, it
immediately closes Excel out with an error stating that excel.exe has
generated errors and had to be closed. It doesn't matter if you do it from
the top menu or if you right click on the mouse. We have tried the repair
option as well as uninstalling and reinstalling excel. Nothing has worked so
far. Any suggestions on how to solve this problem.

Thanks.

 

[Gary''s Student]

Try this:
1. open a fresh, clean workbook
2. select all the cells
3. Edit > Clear > Formats

Then try to set a format

 

[Polk Nursery Co., Inc.]

I just tried that and it still gives me the error when I try to select
Format>cells.

Any other thoughts?

Mindy

 

[Gord Dibben]

Try this trick which most times clears up the problem.

Close Excel, do a file search for *.XLB

Rename it to *.XLBOLD......ignore the warning.

Re-open Excel and a workbook.

Does the problem still exist?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

It's a hidden file, make sure you have hidden files included in the search
(more advanced options in windows xp)


--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom

 

[Polk Nursery Co., Inc.]

This computer is running Windows 2000. I do not see a hidden file option. I
did this search on another of our computers running the same version of
Windows and it did come up with 4 files by the name of Excel.XLB when I did
the search. That computer doesn't have any issues with Excel.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Your *.xlb file will be named Excel9.xlb and is usually found in

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel


Gord

 

[Polk Nursery Co., Inc.]

Still no luck finding the file on that computer. Could this be part of the
problem?

 

[Gord Dibben]

Excel will always create a *.XLB file if none exists.

It is the default file where Toolbar and menus setups are stored.

If you delete it, Excel will build a new one.

You "must" have one on your computer if you open and close Excel even once.

I have never used Windows 2000 but when you open My Computer and go to
Tools>Folder Options>View you should find an option button for "show hidden
files and folders"


Gord

 

[Polk Nursery Co., Inc.]

Found the file. Tried the renaming. Still got the error when I opened Excel
and asked for it to format.

Mindy

 

[Gord Dibben]

You are running Windows 2000.

Which version of Excel?

If 2000 or earlier have a look at this KB Article

XL: Illegal Operation Error When You Attempt to Format Cells

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285347/en-us


Gord