PROBLEM SAVING EXCEL DOCS AFTER 11.5.0 UPDATE

[Joel_Forman]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel

Every time I save an excel document after the 11.5.0 updtae I get the following error:

Cannot create backup file.
Save 'filename.xls' without backup?
I can cancel or choose OK

I tested this by making changes and choosing OK and then quitting excel. When I reopen the document the changes are there.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[JonDoCDN]

Version:
OS: Mac OS X 10.4.11
Processor: Intel Core Duo

I have experienced the same issue/error message as Joel describes here. This
started with Excel immediately following my Office upgrade/download. In
addition, when I try to Save or Save As the Excel file that I use weekly and
have for more than one year, I receive the message: "Operation Failed.
filename.xls is write reserved. I had to save the file under a different name.

JonDoCDN

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Joel -

Did you repair permissions & restart after applying the update?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Joel_Forman]

Thanks for the replies. I have found that this seems to affect one particular file. If I simply copy the entire sheet into a new document the new document is free of this issue. If I 'save as' the file with a new name the issue persists. The very first time I save the file there is no problem but from then on I get the same error message.

I have repaired permissions to no avail.

The copy/paste has proved to be an effective workaround and so far I have not found this issue with any other excel file.

 

[Guest]

I'm having the same issues, with Excel 11.5.0 for Mac 2004, only I get "Document not saved" errors when I try to save an Excel file. Sometimes it will let me save it to one location, and then another, then neither. Further, if I try to rename the tabs at the bottom of the Excel page, it will often "freeze" and not allow me to change the name or move my cursor unless I use the "ESC" key (thus negating any change I made).

I have tried to restore permissions, but nothing happened. I'm getting the feeling this is an Excel software issue and until Microsoft fixes the bug, we're screwed.

Running OSX 10.4.11 and Excel 11.5, updated within the last few days. Prior to the last update, there were no problems.

 

[Guest]

I have just tried the suggested Mactopia/Microsoft solution, which is to do a complete uninstall, reinstall, update, reboot, repair permissions. The bottom line - Microsoft has produced yet another fine and buggy product.

For some reason, it will save to some folders, but not to the specific folder I have targeted. Nor will it allow you to open a file from that folder previously saved in one name, and then change its name via the "Save As" function. It will sometimes however, allow you to do such normal things in other folders. Even creating a new folder in a totally different location and dragging it into the target directory did not solve the problem.

As this hassle only occurred after the 11.5.0 MacOffice 2004 update, I am forced to conclude the update itself has flaws within Excel operating on the OS 10.4.11 platform.

The workaround for now was to open a Finder window, and change the file name in there. Odds are, further bugs will no doubt arise.

 

[Hilena Hailu [MSFT]]

Hello all,

I am sorry to read you're having problems saving files. Thus far, we're been
unable to repro this issue. Would any of you be able to send us the files
that Excel 11.5 is unable to resave, with confidential data removed of
course? If so, please send them to (e-mail address removed) and
(e-mail address removed). Any other info you can give us, such as clear repro
steps, would help us repro and narrow down the problem.

Thanks in advance, and we look forward to your remail.

Regards,
Hilena Hailu
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



wrote in message news:[email protected]...

 

[Muzi]

Hilenah

We also have similar problems at the UW with Mac Excel 2004 11.5 not being
able to save files and it's completely shut down our patient data analysis
using Excel spreadsheets.
The symptoms for us are that :
1. You open any excel file from a network drive (ours are Linux ext3
format) or from peripheral firewire/usb drives formatted as FAT32 (we do this
for compatibility between operating systems)
2. The file opens as normal and you can work with it.
3. When you try to save the file you get the following message in an
Excel pop-up window with only an OK button.

Your changes could not be saved to "Backup
of <filename>", but were saved to a temporary document named 'XXNNNNNN'.
Close the existing document, then open the
temporary document and save it under a new
name.

4. After clicking the OK button, and trying to save under a different
name presents another window that states "Document not saved". At this point
the only thing you can do is close the file which destructively removes the
file, and the temporary file also does not exist on the destination drive.

Some caveats
- I have tried repairing permissions on my Mac and restarting to no avail.
- I have tried opening the permissions on the files located on
peripheral drives using the Unix command chmod 777, also to no avail.
- I have not experienced this problem on peripheral drives formatted
with Mac OS Extended format.
- I can circumvent the problem by selecting "Save As" and choosing a
place on my Mac's local hard drive to save the file .
- I can circumvent the problem by selecting "Save As", and then select
"Options" and then de-select create backup file, then saving the file on the
peripheral drive. From that point on the file can be opened, modified and
saved without a problem on the peripheral drive.
- I do not have any of these problems using Excel under
Parallels/Windows XP on my Mac with Windows Excel version 2003 11.8211.802
SP3, other than it's a bit slow.

We always have backup files set for our sensitive patient data for obvious
reasons, so wish to have Excel create backups. I don't think the actual file
is an important issue here, but rather where it's located relative to the
local hard drive and possibly if backups are turned on.

Thanks In Advance For Your help.

M. Muzi, Radiology, UW-Seattle

 

[OftenBefuddled]

Actually, the problem seems rather simple. If a backup file already exists, a new backup file cannot be created. If no backup file exists, a backup file will be created. For us, this problem affects all .xls files in Excel 2004 and is common for multiple machines. An annoying workaround, especially if nearly contemporaneous backup files are required, is to deselect the "create backup" option. My guess would be that this is a problem built into the upgrade when Microsoft tried to make Excel 2004 able to open .xlsx files from Excel 2008.

 

[Pat McMillan]

We are aware of this problem that was introduced in the 11.5 update, and
we're investigating a fix now. We hope we'll be able to address it soon.

Thanks,

Pat McMillan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[rreedyjax]

Actually, the problem seems rather simple. If a backup file already exists, a new backup file cannot be created. If no backup file exists, a backup file will be created. For us, this problem affects all .xls files in Excel 2004 and is common for multiple machines. An annoying workaround, especially if nearly contemporaneous backup files are required, is to deselect the "create backup" option. My guess would be that this is a problem built into the upgrade when Microsoft tried to make Excel 2004 able to open .xlsx files from Excel 2008.

I am experiencing the same. I searched through Excel Preferences and can no longer find how to set Backup nor where to backup.
Unchecking "Save autorecover info" stops the "Unable to create backup" msg.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I am experiencing the same. I searched through Excel Preferences and can no
longer find how to set Backup nor where to backup.
Unchecking "Save autorecover info" stops the "Unable to create backup" msg.

This is a workbook preference. The option can be set during a save-as. After
getting the save-as dialog, click on options.

 

[Dave]

I haven't found that to work - I did try restarting Excel but am still stuck
with the "unable to create backup" message even with save-autorecover off.
Which is just as well since autorecover has sometimes been VERY useful.

 

[Klaus Kamppeter]

Actually, the problem seems rather simple. If a backup file already exists,
a new backup file cannot be created.

My simple workaround: Delete the previous backup from the Finder before
saving a file.

best regards