Excel starts but won't display

  • Thread starter Thread starter John
  • Start date Start date
J

John

I can start Excel (97) and it appears in the task bar,
but it won't display. It's not hung up, as I can use the
keyboard menu commands (i.e. ALT-F, displays the File
command menu). I can see the command menus, but cannot
see the worksheets. I can even print worksheets using the
keyboard commands, I just can't see anything. The
Operating System is Windows 2000 professional.
 
Hi John,
I can start Excel (97) and it appears in the task bar,
but it won't display. It's not hung up, as I can use the
keyboard menu commands (i.e. ALT-F, displays the File
command menu). I can see the command menus, but cannot
see the worksheets. I can even print worksheets using the
keyboard commands, I just can't see anything. The
Operating System is Windows 2000 professional.
Click to expand...

This is a default list of things-to-do when Excel exhibits startup
problems.

Try opening Excel without any addins or hidden workbooks:

Start, Run,
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Automation

Quotes mandatory, Note you may have to change the path.

If your error disappears, there is either an add-in or a (hidden)
workbook that is loaded upon XL's start, which bothers you.

- Try locating the XLSTART directory, move everything from there.
- In XL: Tools, Addins, note the ones checked and uncheck them one at
the time, each time restarting XL
- In XL, Tools, options, general. Check if a path is entered after
"Alternate startup file location". Clear it.

Another option is to open XL in Safe mode:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Safe

Also, you might try:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Regserver

Yet another possible problem is a corruption of your toolbar
customisation file. Locate all files with extension .xlb and rename the
extension(s) to something like .old
Now try and start XL again.

Also, NAV has shown to cause "Excel caused an invalid page
fault in module VBE6.DLL".
You might try disabling the Office plug in of NAV.

Other causes may be a full TEMP folder:

In Windows 95/98 and ME

Delete all files in C:\Windows\Temp

In Windows NT/2000/XP

Find and Select C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\local settings\temp
and delete all files in there.

They are often left behind by installing programs but Excel needs the
space.

This is what MS has to say about startup problems:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q280504

And this about startup switches:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q211481


Regards,

Jan Karel Pieterse
Excel MVP
www.jkp-ads.com
 
Hello Jan,

A big "THANK YOU" to you for all of the suggestions. When
I emptied my Temp folder, everything worked! This after
hours of trouble-shooting with my corporate support
department. Thanks for getting me up and running again -
your terrific!

John
-----Original Message-----
Hi John,


This is a default list of things-to-do when Excel exhibits startup
problems.

Try opening Excel without any addins or hidden workbooks:

Start, Run,
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Click to expand...
Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Automation
Quotes mandatory, Note you may have to change the path.

If your error disappears, there is either an add-in or a (hidden)
workbook that is loaded upon XL's start, which bothers you.

- Try locating the XLSTART directory, move everything from there.
- In XL: Tools, Addins, note the ones checked and uncheck them one at
the time, each time restarting XL
- In XL, Tools, options, general. Check if a path is entered after
"Alternate startup file location". Clear it.

Another option is to open XL in Safe mode:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Safe

Also, you might try:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft
Click to expand...
Office\Office\Excel.exe" /Regserver
 
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