strange access msg while firing up excel (2000)

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hi —

recently i have been getting a weird msg from excel upon starting up … it says “excel cannot open access mdb files directly” (i’ve attached a screen shot) … the msg goes on to explain how to import mdb files … it comes up twice and then lets me into excel … the problem is that i’ve been getting this msg even before i try to open ANY files … i’ve tried repairing and reinstalling, but to no avail … it seems to be a data issue, and i’ve gone into the application data folder to try to catch any auto start files, but deleting everything in that directory has not helped!

any suggestions on how to get rid of these pesky messages??

thanks

steve weiss

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Have you taken a look in your XLStart folder, or any other folder you may have designated as a startup folder. It looks like XL is trying to open a Access file at startup and unless you have code that is causing this, it must be finding an Access file in a startup location.

Andrew C

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thanks for your suggestion, but i had already cleaned out that folder … could there be something in the registry?? or another folder?

thanks

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Did you also check the Tools, Options, General, Alternate Startup File Location Folder?

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no luck … there was an xlstart folder, but nothing was in it

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Check your windows WindowsApplicationDataMicrosoftExcel… or WindowsProfilesUsernameApplicationDataMicrosoftExcel… for possible paths to an alternate XLStart folder.

Andrew C

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checked those locations, as well as did a find on xlstart … no luck … what is the file name that i’m looking for?? is there another folder, other than xlstart, that could be the offender?

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How about finding all MDB fiiles on the C: drive, and see if they don’t belong where they are? (Groping in the dark here.)

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Not unless you defined one in th ealternate file location as suggested by JohnBF above. Have you any files at all in any of these folders, such as Persoanl.xls or Book.xlt.

If tyou do, check those files to see if they contain some code or refferences to the unwanted file. It is possible that some other file has code to execute a macro that performs a query involving the Access file.

Andrew C

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no luck … no personal.xls or book.xls

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Are you starting Excel from a shortcut? If so, check the command line in the shortcut to see if it has a filename on it that Excel is trying to open.

Also, in Excel go to the Addins command on the Tools menu. Write down everything that is checked and then uncheck them. Close Excel and start it back up. If the message goes away, recheck the things that were checked one at a time until you find the one causing the problem.

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i am running from the quicktask bar usually, but have double-checked to see whether that is the problem, and i get the same result even when i double-click execel.exe

i checked the addins menu item and nothing is checked …

i know this is something stupid, but it’s hidden and not one of the usual culprits

could this be a registry setting?

also, i noticed when i uninstalled/reinstalled office, my preferences had remained. is the place that holds preferences, et al, causing this?? if so, how do i start with a totally clean slate?

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Hi. A further (remote) thought: you don’t, by any chance, have a shortcut lurking in your start-up or alternate start-up folder? This will give the same effect as if you actually had the file itself sitting there. HTH

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Just to clarify, Book.xlt is the defaultt new workbook template, not Book.xls.

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yes, i know … i have not been able to find ANY file (or file look alike, like book.xlt or book.xls) that gets rid of the error message … there’s nothing in my add-ins or other application data directory … could there be a registry setting? any other suggestions?

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A .mdb file in your Startup or Alternate Startup directory could cause this. Make sure there are not any hidden files in those directories.

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What happens if you start XL like this:

Start, Run

“C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficeOfficeexcel.exe” /Automation

(all on one line, note you may have to change the path)

If XL opens normally, there definitely is a file that is being opened at excel’s start, which is either the MDB or contains a direct reference to such a file.
The solution then MUST be in all suggestions doen in the other messages.

Tip:

Do a search for the mentioned xlstart folder (Start, Find files or folders, enter XLSTART (there may be several) check ALL OF THEM for files.

Lastly: have you really looked (in XL) in Tools, options, general whether there is anything next to “Alternate startup file location?

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Also posibly a search for *.mdb and temporarily rename them until the culprit is found?

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i ran the program as you suggested and excel fired up fine … there were 2 xlstart folders, and went to each, but there were no files (since i had deleted all of them!)

i went to tools and found the path was not the complete path to the xlstart folder … it was c:profileapplication data instead of c:profileapplication datamicrosoftexcel … when i fixed that reference, excel fires up fine … now is there a way to recover/re-initiate the files that used to be in xlstart?

thanks for the help

whewww

steve weiss

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If you deleted them, then they may still be in your Recycle Bin. If you moved them to a different folder, then just move them back.

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What did you do? best is to make this referrence empty. It is just an extra path you can specify from which XL will load all files. No need to enter the XLSTART directory there, that is already being used by XL by default.

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i fixed the reference to point to the empty xlstart file … i seems to recall that there was file in that folder before this mess started and i deleted it and have emptied my recycle bin since that time, so there’s no going back! is there an example of a good file (ie, a template file?) to put in that folder?

thanks so much for everyone’s help … it was only thru the persistence of everyone that the xlstart folder was the culprit did i solve that annoying error message

steve

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Usually, the only file that is in there is your Personal macro workbook, called Personal.xls. Excel creates that workbook once you record a macro and tell XL to record it into the personal macro workbook. If you’ve never -deliberately- done that, then deleting that file is no problem. Another file in there could be one that holds customized charts.

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