how is excel 2007 finding my personal.xls file?

[rrvball]

Excel 2007 is automatically opening my personal.xls file (not personal.xlsb). The "At startup, open all files in:" box in options : Advanced is empty. The personal.xls file is NOT in the xlstart folder nor is it in the "Default file location" as specified in options : Save.

I upgraded from 2003 and somehow 2007 knows where to find my personal.xls file and opens it automatically, but I can't find out how? I searched the registry for personal.xls and only found it in Excel's MRU list and under the search assistant.

I've searched the web and found no answers, but did find a few sites on converting your personal.xls file to a personal.xlsb file which they seemed to think was necessary for it to work in Excel 2007, but I haven't done that and mine still is being opened automagically without errors.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Datsmart]

Welcome to the board.

The Personal.xls file is a hidden file. To see it you need to turn on the option to view hidden files.
This link has some good info about your Personal.xls file.
http://www.rondebruin.nl/personal.htm

 

[rrvball]

Thanks for your quick response.

I think you misunderstood my question (or perhaps I misunderstood your response). Personal.xls is always being opened by excel 2007. It's hidden, but I can see it in when I open VBA or when I unhide it from the view ribbon. I know where the personal.xls file is and it's NOT in any of the default locations and yet it is still opened automatically. So, Excel 2007 knows where it is too, but I don't know how.

Also, I had found that site in my search and none of the info on that page resolves my issue.

 

[shg]

If you're using XP, there are two XLSTART folders. Checked both?

 

[rrvball]

Yes, I have checked both XLSTART folders (one under program files and one under document and settings) and they are both empty. My personal.xls file is on another partition and I know where it is and apparently Excel 2007 knows where it is, but I don't know how.

 

[shg]

Do you still have 2003 installed?

Try renaming Personal.xls (by changing the extension) in all the places it's stored.

 

[rrvball]

No, I don't have Excel 2003 installed.
I'm afraid if I rename personal.xls, Excel 2007 won't find it and when I rename it back, it still won't find it.

 

[shg]

The personal.xls file is NOT in the xlstart folder nor is it in the "Default file location" as specified in options : Save

I'm afraid if I rename personal.xls, Excel 2007 won't find it

I can't reconcile those two statements. Where is it stored?

 

[rrvball]

The personal.xls file is stored in a data folder on my data partition, D:.

 

[rrvball]

I think I found the answer. Excel doesn't open the personal.xls file unless I open another document that references it. I almost always open Excel by opening a workbook file and apparently all the files I've been working on lately have macros that reference the personal.xls file and so Excel opens it also.