Linking Access to Excel

I have linked an Excel file to Access in order to provide an easier screen layout for working on the Excel file (too wide). However, I have found some bugs with this linkage, in that they don't exactly talk the same formatting language. For example, if you use an Alt-Return in Excel to create a new line in a cell (without going to the next cell), it shows up in the Access field as an unknown character (and no new line). However, if you type a hard return in an Access field to create another line in the field, it will create another line in the Excel cell with a little square character, but it also scroggs the Excel file. Not very nice, is it? It doesn't even let you know until you try to open the Excel file again. Luckily, I had it backed up.

Has anyone else seen this problem?

Well, I think this is a never-mind. It turns out that if I type ANYTHING into a field in Access, it kills the Excel file. This doesn't seem right. Maybe I have a corrupted installation.