Windows 7 can't open Excel 2010 .xlsm files?

windows-7 microsoft-excel installation microsoft-office microsoft-excel-2010

8,085

It turns out that OP had permission issues.

UPDATE 1: I just took another look at things and I'm pretty sure my problem is related to Windows 7 permissions. I can't even copy and paste the file due to permission issues.

UPDATE 2: This turned out to be a permission issue. The Administrator group had ownership of the folder. I set my user name as owner and everything worked fine.

8,085

Brian

Software Engineer

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Brian over 1 year

I just reinstalled Windows 7. When I installed Office 2010 I deselected some components to save disk space. Now, I can't open xlsm files. I would like to know which components in the Office installation will allow me to open xlsm files.

UPDATE 2: This turned out to be a permission issue. The Administrator group had ownership of the folder. I set my user name as owner and everything worked fine.

UPDATE 1: I just took another look at things and I'm pretty sure my problem is related to Windows 7 permissions. I can't even copy and paste the file due to permission issues.

The error message I get when I try to open the file is: Excel cannot open the file filename.xlsm because the format or file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file.
- hicklypups almost 13 years
  
  What components did you de-select?
- Rabarberski almost 13 years
  
  What do you mean by "can't open"? Does double-clicking not launch Excel, or does Excel give you some sort of warning (like that it is insecure to open xslm files)?
- evan.bovie almost 13 years
  
  @Brian Don't put solved in the title, add your "updates" as a solution
- ChrisF almost 13 years
  
  Just to reiterate what @emb1995 said. Post the solution as an answer and then accept it in a couple of days. You don't get any reputation for accepting, but you might for the answer, but it marks the problem as "solved" in the way the system understands.
- surfasb almost 13 years
  
  If this is a permission issue, ownership has little to do with the issue. A screenshot of the permissions tab would be more helpful here. The file could be owned by a Joe Smith, but you would still have read and write access to it, which are the same permissions Excel inherits.