How to reset Excel 2002 to first run condtion

  • Thread starter Thread starter Phil M.
  • Start date Start date
P

Phil M.

I'd like to get Excel to appear as it did the first time I ran it on
my PC. I've followed the directions as outlined here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/193006. But that still doesn't change
everything back to "first-run" condition. I've tried renaming the
Excel10.pip file. I've reinstalled Office XP. Still no luck. Any
ideas? Thanks.
 
If it with regards to toolbars and menus do a windows file search (close
Excel first), use advanced options and make sure you check hidden files and
folders and search for

*.xlb


when you find it rename it to something like

*.xlbbak

start excel and a new toolbar should be created from scratch, once you made
sure it is what you want delete the old one. No need to uninstall
Office/Excel
 
If it with regards to toolbars and menus do a windows file search
(close Excel first), use advanced options and make sure you check
hidden files and folders and search for

*.xlb
Click to expand...

I'm not finding an .xlb files on my PC. "Search hidden files and folders"
is checked. BTW, this is Excel 2002 (Office XP) if it matters. Thanks.
 
There is one. trust me and if you delete it or change the name it will give
you a new toolbar like when you started Excel for the first time

I have 2003 and it is here


C:\Documents and Settings\psjoblom\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel

it's called Excel11.xlb

so yours should be

Excel10.xlb

Make sure you have show hidden files and folders selected under tools in an
explorer window
as well before you do the search
 
There is one. trust me and if you delete it or change the name it will give
you a new toolbar like when you started Excel for the first time

I have 2003 and it is here
Click to expand...

2002 here
C:\Documents and Settings\psjoblom\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel
it's called Excel11.xlb so yours should be Excel10.xlb
Click to expand...

This is what I see: http://i16.tinypic.com/4m0pn54.gif
Make sure you have show hidden files and folders selected under tools in an
explorer window as well before you do the search
Click to expand...

This is how it's set: http://i14.tinypic.com/53js1ah.gif

Thanks for your help.
 
Peo, I think it'll only get created if you modify a toolbar--but I could be
remembering wrong.

Phil, maybe you can use an old DOS command to find it. (If your toolbars have
been modified, then you've got one).

Start|Run

CMD
(to get to the Command prompt)

C:
(to get to the C: drive)

cd\
(to get to the root directory)

dir *.xlb /s

The /s says to search subfolders, too.

Make a note of where they are and rename/delete them. Then open excel to test
it.
 
Peo, I think it'll only get created if you modify a toolbar--but I
could be remembering wrong.
Click to expand...

That's it! I was doing a search on my laptop at home. The toolbars were not
modified, so the xlb file did not exist. I moved them around, closed excel,
then the Excel10.xlb file appeard. I renamed it, opened Excel, then the
toolbars were back to their default position. Having done all that, it
still is not absolutely first-run condition. There are still some things
that are based on the user having opened Excel before. Maybe Office XP
needs to be reset somehow? Thanks.
 
If you're going to reset excel back to factory defaults, then I would think that
a lot of those settings would be kept in the windows registry.

You may want to try this (I wouldn't do it, 'cause I'm chicken!):

Windows start button|Run
type: Regedit (and hit enter)

Travers to
HKEY_Current_User\software\microsoft\office\10.0
and rename the Excel branch to something else (ExcelSave -- maybe???).

Just in case you screw things up so bad that stuff won't work. You can always
rename the key when you're done.

Then
windows start button|Run
excel /regserver
(and hit enter to reregister excel)

Then test excel to see if you're happy--be aware that the stuff kept in files
(like *.xlb) won't be affected by this stuff--so you had to struggle with the
*.xlb separately.

If it doesn't work, delete the new key and rename the old one back to Excel.

If it does work, then delete that saved key.
 
If you're going to reset excel back to factory defaults, then I would
think that a lot of those settings would be kept in the windows
registry.

You may want to try this (I wouldn't do it, 'cause I'm chicken!):

Windows start button|Run
type: Regedit (and hit enter)

Travers to
HKEY_Current_User\software\microsoft\office\10.0
and rename the Excel branch to something else (ExcelSave -- maybe???).

Just in case you screw things up so bad that stuff won't work. You
can always rename the key when you're done.

Then
windows start button|Run
excel /regserver
(and hit enter to reregister excel)
Click to expand...

That did it. Thanks a lot.
 
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