Can't open file on new PC

[tbs yuko]

Hello,

My colleague created a database and emailed it to me for my part of work. I was working on the workbook on my previous computer with Windows XP and Excel 2003 without any problem. As I bought a new computer with Windows 7 and Excel 2010, I copied the file onto the new computer and and opened, I worked on it, saved, closed, and I tried to reopen, and it never opens. When I click on the file saved on my desktop, it starts up the Excel but it doesn't open any file.

I tried to copy again and when I opened the copied one for the first time it opens properly but when I save it and close once, then it doesn't open again. I copied to another computer and the problem persisted.

I tried repair option but it didn't work and tried to open from Excel>Open, it doesn't work.

Can anybody help me? Thanks

[Richard Buttrey]

Hi,

Difficult to say really without seeing your system. Have you tried opening it and saving as another name then closing it. Then immediately try opening it from Excel. If that works close Excel and try double clicking the file name in the location in which you saved it.

Regards

[FDibbins]

Or perhaps trying to open the file on anopther machine? Try with both the "old" file and the "new" version. If they both open on another machine, try opening the "old" 1 again, make the changes you did, then try opening that "new" file on your new machine

[tbs yuko]

Hi, Thanks for quick reply. I tried what you suggested, It seemed to have worked when I reopened two times, but then on the third time it stopped opening it, but when I try to close the file, it still gives me the option of 'Do you want to save the changes you made to '--the name of the file--' ?' pop up. I save and close, try to reopen, it doesn't open..

[tbs yuko]

Hi, thanks for your help. I tried to open it on another similar spec machine and it has shown the same error...

When I try to open a few times and it never opens, so I close down my Excel, and then some time later I work on a totally different workbook which originates from this machine itself, I try to close the file, then it shows the pop-up message: 'Do you want to save the changes you made to '--the name of the file--' ?'. This 'name of the file' is the one I couldn't open earlier... it sounds all messed up but what can be the problem???

[Richard Buttrey]

How much RAM do you have and how big is the file on disk?

If you want to upload the file here I'll check it with my 2010 although I don't have Windows 2007.
Have you tried saving the file as a .xlsb (binary) file to see if that makes any difference?

[FDibbins]

IF you can open it again, open another new workbook, and try to copy the data across to the new W/B, and also any formulas if you can. Then try the close/open and see how that works?

[tbs yuko]

The database is unfortunately kind of confidential so can't release it externally... but I tried to copy all and paste it to new book and it seems to be working ok!! I think I need to work it out this way till more fundamental solution comes about.. Thanks a lot!

[FDibbins]

It could be that some part of the file is corrupt, and by copying to a new W/B you are eliminating that error.

Good luck and keep us informed on how you make out

[newdoverman]

Unless I misunderstand, you are trying to open the file by double clicking the icon on the desktop. Try opening Excel first then open the file from within Excel.

Does the icon by chance have an arrow in the lower left corner pointing to the upper right corner of the icon? If it does, that is a shortcut and not the file proper.

Can you properly open and save and re-open other Excel files? Can you double click on them to open them? If you can't then the file associations may be a little messed up. In that case, locate the file in Windows Explorer, right click on it, choose Open With and choose Excel and make it the default.

If your email client it Outlook, you might have better luck if your colleague zipped the file and then send it again to you. When you get the file, unzip it into a folder and see if it works better for you. The security of Outlook can mess with files that it "thinks" can pose a danger to your computer.

[FDibbins]

newdoverman....
from post 1

I tried repair option but it didn't work and tried to open from Excel>Open, it doesn't work.