Startup on grey screen

O

Otto Moehrbach

Excel 2002, WinXP
My Excel always started on a blank workbook. Now it starts on a grey
screen. Why? And how can I get the blank workbook back?
I have not installed or removed any software or hardware.
I tried re-registering Excel with Start/Run "C:\Full
Path\Excel.exe/RegServer" but Windows says it can't find that.
Thanks for your help. Otto
Thanks for your help. Otto
 
G

GregJG

I know of a couple things you can try, not sure if any will work.

the shortcut you use to open excel. right click it. look at th
target.

if it is not greyed out, be sure there is not a "/e" or "/embedded" a
the end of the traget.

you could try an add a /o to the target. this will force excel t
reregister.

if it is greyed out, then you will need to create a new shortcut an
try adding the /o to the target which should force a reregister.

the other thing you could do is, create a workbook the way you alway
want excel to open and save it to c:\program files\microsof
office\office11\xlstar
 
G

GregJG

oops, right click the short cut, then click on properties. that is wher
you will see the targe
 
R

Ron de Bruin

Hi Otto

<See the space between exe and /regserver>

Close Excel first and
On the Windows Taskbar

1) Start>Run "excel.exe /unregserver"(no quotes)>OK.
2) Start>Run "excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
See the space between exe and /regserver

You might have to designate a full path to excel.exe.
In that case Start>Run "C:\yourpath\excel.exe /regserver"(no quotes)>OK.
 
O

Otto Moehrbach

Ron
Thanks for your help. I still cannot get it to reregister.
If I put Excel.exe /RegServer, Windows can't find it.
If I put the whole path, Windows still can't find it.
My full path is:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\EXCEL.EXE /unregserver (with
space after "exe")
With it written as above, Windows says it can't fine C:\Program.
Written as "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\EXCEL.EXE
/unregserver "
Windows says it can't find the whole thing

But I did get it to work if I wrote it as:
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\EXCEL.EXE" /unregserver
I did it again with 'regserver' and it worked.
However, my original problem of Excel opening on a grey screen is still
there.
HELP. Otto
 
R

Ron de Bruin

Hi Otto

Is this happen also if you start Excel in Safe mode
hold the Ctrl key down when you open Excel.
It will ask you if you want to open in Safe mode


And look in the Excel help for
"Customize how Excel starts"
 
O

Otto Moehrbach

Ron
Thanks for taking the time to help me with this. I opened Excel in Safe
mode as you said and it opened WITH a blank workbook. Am I looking at a
reinstall of Excel? Otto
 
R

Ron de Bruin

Hi Otto

In Safe Mode no Add-ins or files in the Xlstart filder will be loaded.

You say <I have not installed or removed any software or hardware.>
That is not the problem then

Try this first
*************************************
This can be a corrupt or bloated toolbar file
The .xlb file has all Toolbar customization in it.

Close Excel
Do a search for .xlb in windows
Rename the file you find (my file is named Excel10.xlb in 2002)
Start Excel

Deleting the file or renaming will do no harm on your system
Excel will create a new one for you.
(You lost your customization remember that)

If you make your own toolbars or add buttons to the others
This file is important (backup it so you can restore it)
 
D

Dave Peterson

What's in your XLStart folder? In fact, what's in all your XLStart folders?

Or when you start excel, do you have any workbooks listed under Window|Unhide?
 
O

Otto Moehrbach

Dave, Ron
Dave, I looked in my XLStart folder. I thought, before I looked, that I
had no files in there other than the Personal.xls file. I never have
before. But I found Personal.bak was in there as well. I deleted that and
the problem was solved.
Do either of you know how that file was generated? The .bak suffix is
recognized by Windows as an AutoCad backup file. I have AutoCad installed.
I have also seen where Excel generates .bak files of my Excel files.
I've looked in Tools/Options but could find nothing. I think I will look
further. Any ideas? Thanks for your help. Otto
 
M

Myrna Larson

Have you ever used Rob Bovey's Code Cleaner on your Personal.xls file? It
creates a BAK file...

Dave, Ron
Dave, I looked in my XLStart folder. I thought, before I looked, that I
had no files in there other than the Personal.xls file. I never have
before. But I found Personal.bak was in there as well. I deleted that and
the problem was solved.
Do either of you know how that file was generated? The .bak suffix is
recognized by Windows as an AutoCad backup file. I have AutoCad installed.
I have also seen where Excel generates .bak files of my Excel files.
I've looked in Tools/Options but could find nothing. I think I will look
further. Any ideas? Thanks for your help. Otto
Click to expand...
 
O

Otto Moehrbach

Myrna
You are a darling. I did just that and recently. Right about the time
this problem started. Thanks. Otto
Myrna Larson said:
Have you ever used Rob Bovey's Code Cleaner on your Personal.xls file? It
creates a BAK file...
Click to expand...
 
D

Dave Peterson

Next time you run Rob Bovey's code cleaner, click on the "file locations" tab.

You can force the .bak file to go to your temp folder if you want.

(And under options, you can even tell it not to create a .bak--I wouldn't do
that, though.)
 
Top