.XLS file type association problem with two Excel versions

[Gates Is Antichrist]

I am changing the file type association for .XLS to
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\excel.exe

I'm using "Change" and "browse" to set it to that exact file. However it still starts version 12 (XL2007) which is dual installed with version 11 (XL2003).

I was successful in creating a shortcut that opens version 11, despite Microsoft's apparent attempt to thwart that; now I need to fix the file association. (Try to directly edit the Office links in your XP Start Menu - notice how the target is grayed out??? MS, sorry b******s)

 

[iliace]

Target grayed out in start menu shortcuts has been the case for as long as I can remember, I believe as far back as Office 97. I remember encountering this for the first time when a new Word and Excel installation at my workplace at the time would not allow me to assign my usual Ctrl+Shift+W and Ctrl+Shift+X shortcut key combinations to run the two, respectively. The workaround is to delete those and create new shortcuts; then the path to target is preserved.

I have encountered this problem as well (file associations), and do not seem to find a workaround (I have it dual-installed on three of the workstations I use regularly).

What pisses me off more, though, is the fact that sometimes the "new" version (whichever that may be, 2003 or 2007) will sometimes run "setup", doing a "please wait while Office 200n is configured on your system" type screen.

Another peculiarity is using the Run command (start menu or task manager). Right now on this computer, if I go to Run and type in Excel, it opens Excel 2003. However, if I double-click an Excel file, regardless of extension, that file opens in 2007! Weird huh? EVEN if I right-click the file and select "Open With", then navigate to OFFICE11, and choose EXCEL.EXE, it still opens with Excel 2007.

This seems to describe it:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928091

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

Good comments. I empathize and sympathize. But still looking for help.

Oddly, Word and Access are okay with 2003 association. Excel is the sole problem.

Provisionally, I am starting XL03 (with Ctrl-Alt-X), and having it just sit open with no files. THEN I launch .XLS files.

2007 sucks!

 

[NateO]

See the following:

http://help.lockergnome.com/office/2007-installed-side-side-2003-open-xls-2003-ftopict1000777.html

But I can't confirm.

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

Nice shooting, thank you Nate. Ah, Microsoft ... "It works, however as soon as you re-open office 2007 - the program automatically reconfigures the file associations back to 2007 - is there any way to stop it from doing this?"

Anyway none of those worked - although I stopped short of using the 3rd party registry tool (I searched the whole registry anyway), and did not complete "detect and repair" as I don't have the install disk here. Thank you for the great effort though!

 

[NateO]

You're welcome.

I think you'd probably have to go into the registry (regedit) and change it as explained in the last post, but I'm not sure I recommend doing that, I don't play around with my registry too often...

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

It's (apparently) not a single change. Search for 12\excel and it's all over the root classes.

 

[NateO]

You shouldn't have to change them all, though. It should be in one place as mentioned in the last post. But again, I don't know very much about the registry or screwing around with it, not within my area of expertise.

If you do mess around with it, it's at your own risk and the downside is significant, like your computer requiring a new operating system.

 

[iliace]

Good comments. I empathize and sympathize. But still looking for help.

Oddly, Word and Access are okay with 2003 association. Excel is the sole problem.

Provisionally, I am starting XL03 (with Ctrl-Alt-X), and having it just sit open with no files. THEN I launch .XLS files.

2007 sucks!

Actually, no. I've had some of the same issues with Word and Access. Particularly Access is what bothers me (I don't like the ribbon in 2007 Access); Word I don't much care.

But I don't have a solution yet myself, so who knows.

 

[Gates Is Antichrist]

My Access 2003 .LNK has "Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003" in grey as the program, and it's wired right. Do you have all of the 2003 and 2007 links shown in start menu / programs / Microsoft Office?