Make excel 2003 default to open files

[Sandy]

I have Excel 2003 running alongside 2007.
Double clicking an excel file causes it to open in 2007; how do I force 2003
to open the files instead?

Sandy

 

[Gord Dibben]

You most likely have to reset your file association from 2007 to 2003.

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

See the space between exe and /regserver

You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe for Office 2003

In that case Start>Run "C:\your path to\office11\excel.exe" /regserver(quotes
required)>OK.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Sandy]

Thanks Gord, and easily understood!
Sandy

You most likely have to reset your file association from 2007 to 2003.

Close Excel first and On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.

See the space between exe and /regserver

You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe for Office 2003

In that case Start>Run "C:\your path to\office11\excel.exe"
/regserver(quotes
required)>OK.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Phillip Ostberg]

Gord,
I have users that do not have permissions to edit their registry settings. I would like to be able to push Excel 2007 to them and have Excel 2003 remain as their default program. Is there some way they can do this through Windows Explorer? I tried doing the Tools > Folder Options > File Types > XLS and then changing the extension to Office 11 > XLS. This worked once, but the setting did not stick. Thoughts?
Thanks,
Phillip

 

[Gord Dibben]

Have the users tried the excel.exe /unregserver and regserver functions?

I just tested a limited account on my computer and the operation went through
its steps.

I don't want to go through the installation of Excel 2007 just to test this out
so can't offer much more help.

Perhaps someone else with both versions installed could test on a lomited
account.


Gord

 

[Harlan Grove]

Phillip Ostberg wrote...

I have users that do not have permissions to edit their registry
settings.  I would like to be able to push Excel 2007 to them and
have Excel 2003 remain as their default program.  Is there some way
they can do this through Windows Explorer?  I tried doing the
Tools > Folder Options > File Types > XLS and then changing the
extension to Office 11 > XLS.  This worked once, but the setting
did not stick.

How do you install new software on your users' machines? If via a
standard software image, make the necessary changes in the image. If
via remote admin logon, make the changes then. If via some other way,
more details needed.

Or you could add a shortcut in users' Startup folder to run the
command (meant to be a single line, but may wrap)

ftype.exe Excel.Sheet.8="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE"

which would remain in place until users log off from Windows. Of
course that assumes your users have permissions to run ftype.exe.

 

[Harlan Grove]

Or you could add a shortcut in users' Startup folder to run the
command (meant to be a single line, but may wrap)

ftype.exe Excel.Sheet.8="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE"

....

Sorry, ftype is a command internal to the NT line's CMD.EXE command
processor. Make the command line

%COMSPEC% /c ftype Excel.Sheet.8="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE"

 

[huebneraj]

Have the users tried the excel.exe /unregserver and regserver functions?

I just tested a limited account on my computer and the operation went through
its steps.

I don't want to go through the installation of Excel 2007 just to test this out
so can't offer much more help.

Perhaps someone else with both versions installed could test on a lomited
account.

Gord

I love you. You save my computer from being throw down the stairs.
Seriously, Thanks!

 

[Gord Dibben]

Good to hear.

Throwing computer down the stairs involves too much clean-up.

I have a utility trailer out back for occasions like that.


Gord

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

Gord, I have done this both at work and at home where I installed 2007 after
I installed 2003 thus making 2007 the default application when opening files
through explorer or just by clicking them. I re-registered Excel 2003 and
that was enough to open xls files by default with 2003

--


Regards,


Peo Sjoblom

 

[Gord Dibben]

Thanks Peo

Did the one re-register work across all computer accounts that have access
to Office applications?

I assume it would.


Gord

 

[dmallegretti]

here is what worked for me...

1-Open My Computer
2-Go to Tools --Folder options
3-Click the File Types tab
4-Scroll down to the XLS file type and highlight it
5-Click the Advanced button
6-Under actions, click to highlight "Open"
7-Click the Edit button
8-In the path, change "Office12" to "Office11" no quotes
9-Click Ok, Ok

 

[ExistenceGuest]

u can perform detect & repair in office 2003 to make it the default

 

[Dave Peterson]

Or just reregister it.

u can perform detect & repair in office 2003 to make it the default

 

[paul.jp.phelan]

I have Excel 2003 running alongside 2007. Double clicking an excel file causes it to open in 2007; how do I force 2003 to open the files instead?Sandy

I know this is over four years later, but for anyone else who ended up here by googling, you can:

1.Right click on an Excel file and select "Open with"
2. Click "choose program".
3. Select Excel 2003 (the symbol is usually completely square whereas the Excel 2007 symbol is set off at an angle).
4. Make sure the " Always select this program to open this type of file" box is ticked.
5 Click Ok.