excel 2013 can't open old files

File->Options->Trust Center->Trust Center Settings

1. Protected View-> Uncheck the 3 options
2. File Block Options -> Check "Legacy Converters for Excel" (second to last checkbox)

This may happen if you install office 2013 and then uninstall office 2007 or similar.

Go to Programs and features select office 2013 or 365 and then click change. It should give option to fix office offline or online, try offline first and then try open your spreadsheets again??

So, I've found a simple answer to this in another thread that solved it. (Office 2013, Win7 Ultimate N x64)

Go into Control Panel > Office install > Change > Quick Repair

Sourced from: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/lync/en-US/a31c918b-cb7c-4008-b339-4f0fa6118ea9/excel-2013-will-not-open-file-using-double-click

Hope that helps someone else.

I am also experiencing a problem opening older excel files with Excel 2013.

I have installed Office 2013 64bit on Windows 7 Pro 64bit.

Every file from older versions that I open with either Word or Excel gives me an error message "The file is corrupt and cannot be opened".

It is NOT a problem with default program association. It is also NOT a problem with the file itself.

The file opens up perfectly with Office 2010 I have on another computer.

With Word 2013 I found a way to open files by Right Click and use Edit option instead of Open.

This opens up the files and I can save them in 2013 format.

Excel does not provide Edit option, hence every time i try to open the file it fails.

If anyone has any ideas, i will appreciate if you shared them with me.

Thanks.

To confirm, you have the local install of Office 2013, not Office 365?

I agree with Nayana, it sounds like you have a problem with Windows Default File Associations, for XLS files.

Here some additional ways of setting file associations if Nayana's approach does not work (due to various circumstances)

Re-register the application

There are several different ways you can reset the proper file associations. Word itself provides a way to do it. Open a command prompt window and, at the command line, enter the following:

winword /r

This invokes part of the installation process. It is good for all apps in the 2010 Office bundle. Word will reregister itself back in Windows. In the process, it resets the file associations for the files it uses, such as DOC and DOT files. You can close the command prompt window and double-click on a document; Word should start right up.

Alternate Re-register the application

(Note: You may have to adjust the path to the EXE to match your installation. Verify the path before running the command.)

Close the app. Open the Run Window: <WIN > R, use the following command (Modify the Path to match your specific installation):

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe" /unregserver

The quotes are necessary, but you may need to change the path so it reflects the location of the winword.exe file on your system. (You can use Windows’ Search tool to locate the path to the winword.exe file.) The /unregserver switch “unhooks” all the references to Word in the Windows Registry.

You should then, immediately, use the following command:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\winword.exe" /regserver

This command causes Word to rewrite all its Registry keys and to reassociate itself with document and template files. Now you can double-click a document file and see if Windows starts Word and opens the document.

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Re Register  re-register – regserver batch file

Make sure the path is correct for your installation. I have put these files into a BAT file on my desktop so I can run it as needed.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\winword.exe" /unregserver

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\winword.exe" /regserver

Pause

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\excel.exe" /unregserver

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 2010\Office14\excel.exe" /regserver

Pause

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Quick Determine Office applications path

·        open Excel

·        open the Visual Basic Editor (aka VBE)

·        open the Immediate window, Ctrl-g (also in the View menu)

·        type or paste the following in the Immediate window

?application.path

·        With the cursor at the end of the line, ie after "path", hit Enter

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Set Click to Run (CTR) to be Default File Association

·        Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the file.

·        Right click the file (i.e. doc) and select Properties.

·        Now click on the general tab and select open with change.

·        Change ''Microsoft Office 2010 Component'' to "Microsoft Office Client Virtualization Handler".

If that doesn't work, try:

This page has instructions, with pictures, on how to use builtin windows tools to fix file associations:

http://www.worldstart.com/how-to-set-defaults-successfully/print/

If that doesn't work, try:

There is a freeware tool called  Default Programs Editor. It brings many of the default settings into one place: http://defaultprogramseditor.com/

Need to associate the file type with program:

In Win7:

1. Right-click the file,
2. Select "Open With"   select [Your Program Here]
3. Check always use this program.

In Windows XP:

1. Locate the file as you have described above
2. Right click the file
3. Select Open with from the pop-up menu
4. Click Choose default program…
5. Select Excel in the Recommended Programs box
6. Check Always use the selected program to open this kind of file
7. Click on OK.

Alternate method of associating file type with program:

·        Click Start

·        type cmd in the run dialog box then press ok.

·        On the command prompt line type "control panel" without the quotation marks.

·        In control panel > folder options > file types > new (button) in the new window click advanced.

·        In the file extension dialog box type the file extension to fix, ie: exe.

·        In the drop down menu locate and select application > click ok.

Sometimes one of these works when you're having trouble with double clicking on the file in windows explorer:

(xl2003 menus) - Tools|Options|General|Uncheck "Ignore other applications"

(xl2007) Office Button|Excel Options|Advanced|General|Uncheck "Ignore other applications that use DDE"

If that doesn't work, try:

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Office 2010 in Win 7 – Remove Win7 “Compatibility” mode

A solution is:

·        Start

·        all programs

·        Microsoft office (this gives the list of office applications)

·        Right click on excel

·        select 'properties'

·        select the compatibility tab

·        uncheck the ' Run this program in compatibility for:' 'windows XP service pack 3'

My excel files now open fine.

If that doesn't work, try:

Change File Associations in Vista / Win 7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Change-which-programs-Windows-uses-by-default

If that doesn't work, try:

Discover hidden features in the Win7 Default Programs tool

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/discover-hidden-features-in-the-windows-7-default-programs-tool/5717

Fix File Association Error When Launching Windows Explorer in Win7

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/fix-file-association-error-explorer-in-windows-7/

Add Programs to OPEN WITH list

http://www.worldstart.com/adding-open-with-to-the-right-click-menu/print/

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How to Set Defaults Successfully

http://www.worldstart.com/how-to-set-defaults-successfully/print/

Win7 Set Default and Use Open With & Always Open With Settings in Pictures-

http://notebooks.com/2011/02/08/how-to-set-default-programs-and-use-open-with-and-always-open-with-settings/

If that doesn't work, try:

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Restore .EXE File Association in Win7/Vista After Incorrectly Associating It With Another Program

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/restore-exe-file-asso-windows-7-vista-incorrectly-associated/

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