Error Opening 4.0 Workbook with Unbound File on Network (114952)

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you open a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook file that contains an unbound document file, you may receive the following error messages:

Microsoft Excel 97

<worksheet name> could not be found. Check the spelling of the file name and verify that the file location is correct.

If you are trying to open the file from your list of most recently used files on the File menu, make sure that the file has not been renamed, moved, or deleted.

Followed by the error message:

Cannot load an empty Microsoft Excel 4.0 Workbook

Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and 7.0

Filename is not valid

Followed by the error message:

Cannot load an empty Microsoft Excel 4.0 Workbook

CAUSE

This behavior occurs if the unbound document file is located on a network drive, and you do not currently have access to that network drive. In Microsoft Excel, you cannot open a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook file that does not contain any worksheets. Because of this, if the only worksheet in a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook is unavailable, you cannot open the workbook file in Microsoft Excel versions later than version 4.0.

WORKAROUND

To open a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 workbook that contains an unbound worksheet that is located on a network drive, do either of the following:

Connect to the network drive that contains the workbook file with the unbound document. -or-
Open the file in Microsoft Excel version 4.0. You still receive the error message "Filename is not valid"; however, the workbook file opens and you can view the path to the worksheet in the Workbook Contents window. Once you know the network path to the file, you can connect to the network drive again and open the unbound worksheet.

REFERENCES

For more information about What Happens When I Open My Old Microsoft Excel Files In Version 5.0?, click the Search button in Help and type:

opening version 4.0 files