Hi,

I came across this forum while googling for a solution to the problem I have as follows:



I just made a fresh reinstall of my Windows XP Pro with SP3 and have updated to IE7. I have also installed my usual Office 97 Pro. But when I first use it, either Words or Excel as these are the 2 that I normally use, I noticed a Old Excel Document shortcut folder is created in MY DOCUMENTS. This is created only on first use of any of the Office program and on subseqyest use of any Office, no other further Old Excel Document shortcut folder is created.

I have tried deleting and reinstalling Office several times and each time with the same result. When I delete this Old Excel Document shortcut folder, Office will not work and I need to reinstall it.

Has anyone came across this problem and managed to overcome it or does anyone knows how to resolve this ? I am not too computer savvy, so would appreciate a step by step instruction.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Hi slickcondo,

Do you have any Word or Excel settings referring to that folder (eg under Tools|Options|General)?

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi macropod,

Thanks for your reply. I only have these setting within Word or Excel (like when I open up a Word document or Excel document, but not to the short cut Old Excel Document folder. It is like any other folder in my Document with lots of sub-folders in it. While other folders in My Documents are actual folder, this one is a short cut folder.

Hope I understood what you were asking and have given my answers accordingly.

But have you checked Excel under Tools|Options|General? If you follow the shortcut, where do you end up? Are there any files/folders there?

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

There is nothing that relates to this particular problem. Almost all the settings are for the existing documents.

I think it is easier to change to another Office version as this is too time consuming given that no one seems to have encountered this or know a definite remedy for it. But thanks for your help.

Hi slickcondo,

Changing Office versions is unlikely to resolve the issue. It seems most likely that the problem is related to a setting somewhere (perhaps in Word's 'Normal' template or in a registry entry). Changing versions won't help because those settings will remain unless Word's 'Normal' template or the offending registry entry is deleted/corrected - something uninstalling Word has no effect on.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi macropod,

I have changed to Office 2003 and it seems this got rid of the problem. So maybe where you suspect the cause of the problem is may be somewhere esle ? But thank you for your time and suggestions. I only wish we could have found the cause and resolve it. Personally, I am beginning to suspect the cause is from a Windows update rather than from 07 itself, given that 97 is a pretty old and "dated" program ??

In any case, thank you for your help.