Excel: disable password protection

[croydon]

I have been given a Excel 2003 spreadsheet to support. This was originally developed in Excel 97. In Excel 2003 it requires a password when the workbook is opened. Apparently this was not the case in Excel 97 (I assume because of some Excel setting).

Could somebody give me some guidance on how to disable the password protection in Excel 2003? Thanks.

 

[NoCalAdmin]

click on tools- protection and turn it off. the sheet or the workbook

or is your issue you need to do this every time this spreadsheet is opened?

 

[croydon]

The problem is that every time they open the spreadsheet they get the messagebox:

'... is protected'
Password:

 

[NoCalAdmin]

unfortunately,

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292264/en-us

there must have been a password is the 97 version. have you tried to enter anything? [blank] and click ok? [password]

try tricking 2003 and set a password....

sorry..

 

[croydon]

After some more investigation I found that the Excel97 version does not require a password. However, when the sheet is opened in 2003 and then saved, a password is required next time it is opened. This must be due to enhanced security in this version.

Unfortunately, if the password is issued to all users, they have the ability to change items that were previously locked.

 

[NoCalAdmin]

that's for the entire workbook.

you can still password protect ranges in the workbook so that data can not be changed.

if you can get in to the spreadsheet.

 

[croydon]

I'm not sure that this is the case. On both 97 and 2003 the Tools|Protection offers:

- Unprotect Sheet
- Protect Workbook
- Protect and share Workbook

This gives the impression that the Sheet is protected not the Workbook.

I understand that ranges in the workbook can be protected, but the spreadsheet still requires the existing password before it can be opened. If I could disable this then I could work on alternative protection. However, I have not found a method to disable it.

 

[croydon]

One further point, when I take the option to Unprotect Sheet in 97 it asks for the password, which I duly enter. If I then save the spreadsheet, close and re-open it, it still offers 'Unprotect sheet' under Tools|Protection.

When I take the option to Unprotect Sheet in 2003 it asks for the password, but when I enter it, it tells me it is incorrect (I have tried it several times), so I cannot unprotect the sheet.

Thanks for your help.