Office issues since Service Pack2

[theguru97321]

Ever since I installed Service Pack 2 on 4 completely different systems, every time I open Excel or Publisher I get an error about not being able to find a file. If I open a file, it works fine. But if I just launch the application, I have to find a file to open, even if I just want a new document.

Windows XP Pro - Office 2003

Anyone else see this, or fix it?

 

[linney]

Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242

 

[gpalmer711]

I have not seen this one before.

If you click on Start > Then Run > Type "excel" > Click OK

Does it open excel successfully? If so then the problem is in your shortcuts.

If it doesn't then it could be a problem with you default files. I would recommend doing a repair of Office.

Click on Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Select Office > Click the Change Button > Wait a few seconds and then select the REPAIR option.


Follow the onscreen prompts and this should solve your problem.

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[theguru97321]

I've alredy tried the Repair, and I already knew it was the shortcuts. I'm sorry for not specifying. Any shortcut used causes this problem. Not just the shortcuts Microsoft creates, but even manually created ones. The only way to get the programs to launch with out error is via the RUN command. My users are not 'smart' enough to remember this

 

[DragonQ0105]

Not really a fix, but you could just make a blank page and save it as "Excel.xls", then replace the Start Menu shortcut with this.

Also, reinstalling programs after SP2 sometimes helps resolve problems - so try reinstalling Office.

 

[linney]

Microsoft Office Assistance: Troubleshoot opening files

http://office.microsoft.com/assista...TT=1&Origin=EC010230021033&QueryID=7-46FF94x0

 

[theguru97321]

The issue is not when we open a file, that works fine. It's when we open the application with out specifing a file. For some reason since the service pack 2 update, when we attempt to open Excel or Publisher (i've heard outlook as well) we get an error about not being able to find a file..
Excel says "File/Office/Microsoft.xls" and Publisher does not specify but it will close if you don't choose a file to open. I've posted this in the OFFICE forum as well, but I don't think it's an OFFICE problem. I think it's XP.

 

[theguru97321]

I did run the reinstall util via add/remove programs. Still doesn't work properly.

I was not able to run the SETUP.EXE, as it said I was requesting parameters that were not acceptable. This is odd, as I was not trying to open with any parameters, I was just double clicking on the icon. I did not try it from the RUN command yet, maybe I will later.


Is it possible something in the OPEN command in the registry might be screwy??

 

[linney]

http://www.frontpagewebmaster.com/m_218480/tm.htm

Temporarily Turn Off Personal Firewalls, Download Managers, Pop-up Blockers, and Web Acceleration Products
If you are using one of the following products, temporarily turn off the product and then try. Personal firewalls (for example, XP's firewall, Norton Personal Firewall, McAfee Personal Firewalls, or Zone Labs)
Download managers (for example, Get Right)
Web accelerators (for example, Download Accelerator)
Pop-up blockers

 

[theguru97321]

These are clean systems. The do not have any of that garbage installed. Other than XP firewall, which was disabled literally seconds after the first reboot after installing SP2.

 

[linney]

And the pop up blocker installed by SP2?

Are the office programs installed on each machine or are they installed on a server? Where are they trying to access the exe programs?

 

[theguru97321]

Pop-Up Blocker Disabled as well.

Office Pro 2003 (Complete install) is installed on all the systems seperately.

The links that don't work are ANY SHORTCUT, or manual attempt to open c:\program files\microsoft office\office11\excel.exe gets the following error:

{'Files\Microsoft.xls' coule not be found. Check the spelling of the file name, and verify that the file location is correct.

If you are trying to open the file from your list of most recently used files on the File menu, make sure that the file has not been renamved, moved, or delted.
(OK BUTTON)
}

then

{'Office\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE' could not be found. blah blah Same as the previous error.
(OK BUTTON)}

Then I can do what ever...it's just very annoying. and it worked prior to SP2.

When we attempt to open Publisher we get
{Publisher cannot find the file you specified. The next dialog box will let you browse to locate the file on your hard disk or floppy disk.
(OK BUTTON) (CANCEL BUTTON)
}
Cancel, closes the program.
Ok, brings up a broswer, picka file it will open, cancel, closes the program.

 

[linney]

Try these.

http://www.mcse.ms/message941637.html

http://vic.zonelabs.com/tmpl/body/CA/virusDetails.jsp?VId=10772

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=Microsoft.xls+not+found+excel+windows

Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

 

[theguru97321]

Nada, I had actually seen the first one already, and that's when I came here. Does anyone have this combination of software working properly??

 

[linney]

Sorry they didn't work out.

I have SP2 installed with Office Professional Edition 2003 which includes both Publisher and Excel and none of the Office programs are having problems with SP2 (luckily).

The Excel is Office Excel 2003 (11.6355.6360) SP1 part of Office Professional Edition 2003.

Did you get the SP1 updates for Office?

 

[theguru97321]

Same version I have here. Yes, all the Office Updates have been applied via the Office Updater website.

 

[linney]

Strangely I have plenty of *.XLS files on the system but not one called "Microsoft.xls". Are you sure there is not a virus at work here?

 

[theguru97321]

Yeah, doesn't exist on any of these systems either Never did.

 

[linney]

Which might indicate that it has been inserted into the Registry or Office startup just like a virus. See if you can locate it in the Registry (especially in the Run Keys).

Get a second opinion Virus Scan too from those online scan links from earlier.

 

[theguru97321]

I searched the entire computer for files that contain microsoft.xls and the registry, NOTHING.