Hex numbers displayed in scientific notation when importing text f

[Gabriel Nehmer]

Even when choosing 'Column data format: text', the result is scientific
notation for 32-bit hex numbers that contain an 'E'. The file contains some
columns that are decimal numbers, some hex, some text.

I am using Microsoft Excel 2003 SP2.

 

[Gary''s Student]

If you want to manually enter hex values in cells ( or a column):
Format > Cells... > Text
or
Precede the entry with a single quote (apostrophe)

 

[Gabriel Nehmer]

I am trying to process space-delimited text data that is 3000+ rows long
where some of it comes in as text, some as decimal number, some as hex
number. I am trying to use Excel to process this data, and I would need
something to pre-process it to add an apostrophe, but only to the column that
has hex data before sending it to Excel. So, adding an Apostrophe won't work
for me.

My frustration is that Excel always handles an 'E' in a number like it's
Scientific Notation, which it's not supposed to if you click import columns
as 'Text' instead of 'General'. Why does it do this, and is there some way to
turn this automation off?