Corrupted Excel file - but on only one machine?

Background:
-----------

I was tinkering with a larger Excel file on a network drive (~7 MB) and
tried to run a macro that wasn't there (using keyboard shortcut of Ctrl-D).
Obviously, nothing happened. In response, I tried to create a new tab (Excel
seemed to be doing this, but it failed three times; no new tab appeared). I
then figured it was time for a computer reboot.

After rebooting, I tried to open the aforementioned file, only to be met
with the 'Error -> Send Error Report' dialog. Repeated attempts to open this
file yield the same results. I tried rebooting again, but the results
remained the same.

TWIST #1:

Another computer in our office was able to successfully open this file. I
had them create a copy of it, figuring I could get into that one & trash the
original. However, I get the same crash/error dialog when trying to open
that file.

TWIST #2:

I am able to open other Excel files, both on my local HD as well as some in
the same folder where the problem Excel file resides.

So, is anyone familiar with a problem such as this? Obviously, there appears
to be something about this file now & my work computer that refuses to let
me open it on my work machine.

Any assistance would be appreciated.


--
---
k

Try starting excel in safe mode.

Close excel
windows start button|run
excel /safe

Then File|open your workbook.

If that works ok, then maybe it's something else that's causing the trouble.

Chip Pearson has some notes on how to diagnose startup errors at:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/StartupErrors.htm

And Jan Karel Pieterse has more notes at:
http://www.jkp-ads.com/Articles/StartupProblems.htm

===
Is the pc that can open the file running the same version of excel as you?

If no, then maybe it's a corrupted workbook and different versions of excel
handle corruption differently (xl2002+ can usually do better than earlier
versions).

You may want to try openoffice. Lots of people have said that it's recovered
workbooks that excel couldn't.

(http://www.openoffice.org, a 60-65 meg download or a CD)

If the file is really important, there are commercial recovery services. I've
never used it, but you might want to check into:
http://www.officerecovery.com

k wrote:
>
> Background:
> -----------
>
> I was tinkering with a larger Excel file on a network drive (~7 MB) and
> tried to run a macro that wasn't there (using keyboard shortcut of Ctrl-D).
> Obviously, nothing happened. In response, I tried to create a new tab (Excel
> seemed to be doing this, but it failed three times; no new tab appeared). I
> then figured it was time for a computer reboot.
>
> After rebooting, I tried to open the aforementioned file, only to be met
> with the 'Error -> Send Error Report' dialog. Repeated attempts to open this
> file yield the same results. I tried rebooting again, but the results
> remained the same.
>
> TWIST #1:
>
> Another computer in our office was able to successfully open this file. I
> had them create a copy of it, figuring I could get into that one & trash the
> original. However, I get the same crash/error dialog when trying to open
> that file.
>
> TWIST #2:
>
> I am able to open other Excel files, both on my local HD as well as some in
> the same folder where the problem Excel file resides.
>
> So, is anyone familiar with a problem such as this? Obviously, there appears
> to be something about this file now & my work computer that refuses to let
> me open it on my work machine.
>
> Any assistance would be appreciated.
>
> --
> ---
> k

--

Dave Peterson

Thanks for the reply, Dave. It turns out the only machine (of the 4 I tested
on) that's able to open it runs a newer version of Excel (2002 instead of
2000).

I tried to open the file on 3 other machines all with Excel 2000, but with
no luck. I may eventually go the OpenOffice route you suggested to see if it
can be repaired so xl2000 users can open it. But as it's not terribly
critical at the moment, I'll have to save for a later date.

Thanks again for your help.

---
k

"Dave Peterson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Try starting excel in safe mode.
>
> Close excel
> windows start button|run
> excel /safe
>
> Then File|open your workbook.
>
> If that works ok, then maybe it's something else that's causing the
> trouble.
>
> Chip Pearson has some notes on how to diagnose startup errors at:
> http://www.cpearson.com/excel/StartupErrors.htm
>
> And Jan Karel Pieterse has more notes at:
> http://www.jkp-ads.com/Articles/StartupProblems.htm
>
> ===
> Is the pc that can open the file running the same version of excel as you?
>
> If no, then maybe it's a corrupted workbook and different versions of
> excel
> handle corruption differently (xl2002+ can usually do better than earlier
> versions).
>
> You may want to try openoffice. Lots of people have said that it's
> recovered
> workbooks that excel couldn't.
>
> (http://www.openoffice.org, a 60-65 meg download or a CD)
>
> If the file is really important, there are commercial recovery services.
> I've
> never used it, but you might want to check into:
> http://www.officerecovery.com
>
> k wrote:
>>
>> Background:
>> -----------
>>
>> I was tinkering with a larger Excel file on a network drive (~7 MB) and
>> tried to run a macro that wasn't there (using keyboard shortcut of
>> Ctrl-D).
>> Obviously, nothing happened. In response, I tried to create a new tab
>> (Excel
>> seemed to be doing this, but it failed three times; no new tab appeared).
>> I
>> then figured it was time for a computer reboot.
>>
>> After rebooting, I tried to open the aforementioned file, only to be met
>> with the 'Error -> Send Error Report' dialog. Repeated attempts to open
>> this
>> file yield the same results. I tried rebooting again, but the results
>> remained the same.
>>
>> TWIST #1:
>>
>> Another computer in our office was able to successfully open this file. I
>> had them create a copy of it, figuring I could get into that one & trash
>> the
>> original. However, I get the same crash/error dialog when trying to open
>> that file.
>>
>> TWIST #2:
>>
>> I am able to open other Excel files, both on my local HD as well as some
>> in
>> the same folder where the problem Excel file resides.
>>
>> So, is anyone familiar with a problem such as this? Obviously, there
>> appears
>> to be something about this file now & my work computer that refuses to
>> let
>> me open it on my work machine.
>>
>> Any assistance would be appreciated.
>>
>> --
>> ---
>> k
>
> --
>
> Dave Peterson