[SOLVED] Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file

NashvilleITGuy · 09-11-2007, 01:31 PM

Hi all, first time poster\long time reader and enthusiast.

I am a PC tech for a large corporate network, and one of our users called in to say that she suddenly could not open Excel files. I connected to her machine and found that I can open excel documents from the desktop icons, as well as through windows explorer, but the issue exists as soon as you select "open" from the File menu in excel. When you attempt to open a document that way, the standard "Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close" message, also giving the option to save work and re-start excel.

She is running office 2003 professional SP2 on a dell optiplex gx280 with 256 meg of ram. She's never had an issue in the past, and has not installed any new software recently, so no conflicts are likely, this is just a sudden issue.

I attempted a repair installation, a complete uninstall\reinstall, and applied all available updates from the Microsoft website, and nothing has solved the problem.

Hopefully you guys can help!

Thanks in advance

Zazula · 09-11-2007, 11:21 PM

Does the same happen when you open Excel in Safe Mode, as well (i.e. running the executable with the /s switch)?

NashvilleITGuy · 09-12-2007, 09:03 AM

No, I don't seem to have the problem when I run excel in safe mode. Any suggestions?

Zazula · 09-12-2007, 09:11 AM

Then most probably it's an add-on or (less likely in your case IMO) a custom template.

NashvilleITGuy · 09-12-2007, 09:13 AM

Good news... I worked it out. I re-registered Excel by clearing the registry entry and then opening excel. I had no issues opening files in any way after that.

Zazula · 09-12-2007, 09:17 AM

Glad to hear you got it resolved. Cheers!

(Theoretically, the registry entries should have been recreated when you reinstalled the application, but (who knows?) maybe the safemode running helped a bit?)

09-11-2007, 01:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
NashvilleITGuy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP Pro	[SOLVED] Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file Hi all, first time poster\long time reader and enthusiast. I am a PC tech for a large corporate network, and one of our users called in to say that she suddenly could not open Excel files. I connected to her machine and found that I can open excel documents from the desktop icons, as well as through windows explorer, but the issue exists as soon as you select "open" from the File menu in excel. When you attempt to open a document that way, the standard "Microsoft Office Excel has encountered a problem and needs to close" message, also giving the option to save work and re-start excel. She is running office 2003 professional SP2 on a dell optiplex gx280 with 256 meg of ram. She's never had an issue in the past, and has not installed any new software recently, so no conflicts are likely, this is just a sudden issue. I attempted a repair installation, a complete uninstall\reinstall, and applied all available updates from the Microsoft website, and nothing has solved the problem. Hopefully you guys can help! Thanks in advance

09-11-2007, 11:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file Does the same happen when you open Excel in Safe Mode, as well (i.e. running the executable with the /s switch)? __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

09-12-2007, 09:03 AM	#3 (permalink)
NashvilleITGuy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file No, I don't seem to have the problem when I run excel in safe mode. Any suggestions?

09-12-2007, 09:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file Then most probably it's an add-on or (less likely in your case IMO) a custom template. __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

09-12-2007, 09:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
NashvilleITGuy Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP Pro	Re: Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file Good news... I worked it out. I re-registered Excel by clearing the registry entry and then opening excel. I had no issues opening files in any way after that.

09-12-2007, 09:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: Excel 2003 crashing when I attempt to open a file Glad to hear you got it resolved. Cheers! (Theoretically, the registry entries should have been recreated when you reinstalled the application, but (who knows?) maybe the safemode running helped a bit?) __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)