Excel Help Malfunctioning?

Originally Posted by wisgro

Yesterday I consulted Excel help to learn how to use Frequency. I followed the instructions for copying and pasting an array formula. (Copy formula, select cells to display results, press F2 then Ctrl, Shft, Enter.) It wouldn't work. I tried 6 times and the formula pasted the 6th time. I created a new formula for another data column but the pasting method will not work any more. Today I opened Excel help, typed in "Array Formula" and a list of topics displayed. I selected the first topic. Although the main topic opened I cannot open any links within the topic. I tried many help topics but can't select sub topics or "See Also," or "Examples." Nothing happens when I click the links. I use Excel 2002, SP3. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Hi,

I presume that you have done the customary re-start of Excel and then re-boot of the system, next would be (with Excel closed), in the Windows 'Start'

Start, Run,
EXCEL.EXE /unregserver

followed by
Start, Run,
EXCEL.EXE /regserver

Let me know how you go
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Originally Posted by wisgro

Thank you for responding. Tried your suggestion. No luck. Last night I ran windows diagnostics. Nothing found. reinstalled Excel but that didn't help either. Ran virus check (AVG 7.5 and Windows Defender). Negative results.
Searched known virus threats at Symantec and Microsoft for symptoms. None found. Searched Microsoft for Excel troubleshooting. No help there. Searched the web. No help found. Short of uninstalling/reinstalling MS Office I don't know what else to do. (P.S. I encountered a different problem recently with chart formatting that I still haven't been able to resolve. Have been using this version of Excel for years without problem until this month.)

Hi,

if you re-installed Excel then the .xlb file should be correct, but locate it and delete it anyway (search for any .xlb and remove).
Also search for Personal.xls and hide/delete that fine, then re-start Excel.

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Originally Posted by wisgro

Thanks for responding Bryan. I opened windows explorer to search for xlb files. Much to my dismay when I click Search, the Search Companion window opens but a blank blue background is displayed. I attempted to use IE and experience trouble with that. If I click on any link on the download page I get a blank page. Instead of IE opening to nmy home page it opens to a blank, blue colored page and displays a URL that says "run once." No tool bar or menu bar is displayed. My neighbor works as a network administrator. He looked at the problem the other day and said IE was not working properly on my machine. He said he fixed IE but couldn't figure out what is wrong with Excel help. He said Excel help is managed by IE and it appears the IE malfunction effected Excel. (I have the latest version of IE.) Apparently IE was not fixed for long because it isn't working today. High Tech living eh?
Walt

I am not sure what the latest version is, I run IE 7.10.5730.11 with Excel 2003 on XP on a Dell GX150, which would be described as 'older' technology, but have few problems with it and nothing as described by you.

Your Excel 2002 could be the problem.

To locate a file you could open a DOS window (START, Run, CMD)
and type

CD \
DIR *.XLB /s /p

and then
DIR Personal.xls /s /p

then try
START, Run, Excel.exe /unregserver

followed by
START, Run, Excel.exe /regserver

Let me know how you go.
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Originally Posted by wisgro

Thanks Bryan. Am I spoiled? Completely forgot DOS which was the OS when I started using computers. I completed the routine you sent and it didn't help. I have IE7. The browser displays a symptom that I thought could be indications of a browser hijacker: IE ignores my home page setting, goes to MS run once and displays a blank page with blue background. I ran Hijack This and CWShredder but uncovered nothing. Seems like an Excel file has blown a fuse.

sounds like a IE problem, you could try a remove and re-install of 7, or just check that you have the latest updates. Is IE 7 set to auto-update as required?

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