# Excel spreadsheet won't open



## ralphap (Dec 7, 2009)

I am running XP, SP2 on a Dell laptop. When I try to open Excel (Office 2003) from the Start menu or from a desktop shortcut, I get a normal Task Bar button (Excel-Book 1) but nothing on the screen. With the Desktop showing on my screen, if I click the task bar button (or right click and choose Maximize) I can see a shadow of the button "flying" off toward the top right and off the screen but no spreadsheet appears. The task bar button is still visible and if I right click it, I get the option to "Minimize". If I click Minimize the button is seen "flying" back from off the top right of my screen.  I am not on drugs, this is really happening. There seems no way to get the Excel spreadsheet to appear on my screen. I therefore don't get an Excel menu to choose Tools, or Help, or anything. This started happening yesterday and all other programs (including Office programs) work normally. What could be causing this? and how to fix?
Thanks


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi and welcome.

I have no doubt that you are not on drugs...:grin:

Can you open an Excel file from Windows Explorer? This is likely a setting in Excel - go to Tools > Options > general Tab and ensure *Ignore other applications* is *unchecked*.

If you cannot open a file at all, try right clicking on your Excel shortcut, choose 'Properties' and look for 'Run' - change the setting - perhaps try 'maximised'.


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## ralphap (Dec 7, 2009)

Thanks for response. I tried Start, Explore, opened an Excel file and still same problem. I went to Properties and changed "Run" setting to Maximised. Still did not help. I cannot open a file at all so I cannot see the Excel menu to get to "Tools".

What's my next move?


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## Glaswegian (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi again

Try here

http://www.officearticles.com/excel/troubleshooting_microsoft_excel.htm

I would try looking for any xlb files first and if that doesn't work try deleting the Registry key.


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