How to reset incorrect date format after reinstalation of Window X

[ml]

Hi,

Thank you very much in advance if someone can assist.

I need to reinstall the window XP. After the installation, the contents of
the "Date" column have been change as follows:

18/02/2008
20/02/2008
21/02/2008
21/02/2008
22/02/2008
25/02/2008
26/02/2008
26/02/2008
29/02/2008
3/3/2008
3/3/2008
4/3/2008
4/3/2008
6/3/2008
7/3/2008
7/3/2008
10/3/2008
10/3/2008
11/3/2008
11/3/2008
13/03/2008
13/03/2008
14/03/2008
14/03/2008
14/03/2008
14/03/2008
17/03/2008
18/03/2008
19/03/2008
19/03/2008
25/03/2008
25/03/2008
25/03/2008
26/03/2008
26/03/2008
26/03/2008
28/03/2008
28/03/2008
31/03/2008
31/03/2008
2/4/2008
2/4/2008
7/4/2008
7/4/2008
7/4/2008

Example 2

2/11/2007
2/11/2007
2/11/2007
5/11/2007
5/11/2007
5/11/2007
5/11/2007
6/11/2007
7/11/2007
7/11/2007
9/11/2007
9/11/2007
12/11/2007
14/11/2007
14/11/2007
15/11/2007
16/11/2007
16/11/2007
19/11/2007
19/11/2007
19/11/2007
20/11/2007
21/11/2007
21/11/2007
21/11/2007
21/11/2007
21/11/2007
22/11/2007
23/11/2007
23/11/2007
26/11/2007
26/11/2007
26/11/2007
26/11/2007
27/11/2007
27/11/2007
27/11/2007
29/11/2007
30/11/2007
3/12/2007
3/12/2007
3/12/2007
3/12/2007
4/12/2007
4/12/2007
4/12/2007

When I move cursor to the date on the left hand side and then click
"format", then "cell", the "general" under "category" was highlighted.

When I move cursor to the date on the right hand side, and then click
"format", then "cell", the "date" under "category" was highlighted.

I try to change the format in that column by clicking "format" and then
"cell", I can't make the right hand side date coincide with the left hand
side date. It seems that the right hand side date is "mm/dd/yy" whereas the
left hand side is "dd/mm/yy".

Questions:

1. Why they have different format after the installation?
2. How do i make them have the same format.

Thank you very much.

ml

 

[Gord Dibben]

Select the column then Data>Text to Columns>Next>Next>Column Data
Format>Date>DMY and Finish.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[ml]

Thank you very much. Gord, It works.

The problem I have is that all my EXCEL files have this issue. Do I need to
change the date one file at the time or is there a way I can change it once
for all?

When I download the transactions from the internet, it also has this problem.

Appreciate your further help. Thanks again.

Regards,
ml

 

[Gord Dibben]

I would first of all try experimenting with changing the short date settings in
Control Panel>Regional and Language Options to see if I could get Excel to
behave.

Existing workbooks and sheets will probably not change since some of the dates
are considered as Text, but worth a try.

Otherwise you may need to open all and go through them.

Ron de Bruin has code for opening, editing, saving and closing workbooks in a
folder.

http://www.rondebruin.nl/tips.htm copy/paste/merge examples

For future downloads you could set up a macro to do the work if need be when
importing.


Gord