Excel (.xls) files not opening in Excel when launched from Explorer

Question

I appear to have done something to Excel (2003) whereby whenever I double-click on an Excel file (.xls) in Windows Explorer, Excel launches OK, but the corresponding workbook doesn't open, and I'm left with an instance of Excel with no active workbook, i.e. a grey screen.

It was fine earlier on, but now it's goosed. It's clearly not windows file associations, as Excel launches ok. It's a problem specific to Excel itself...

Any thoughts what I might have done to give rise to this?

Answer 1

Try this:

1. Open Microsoft Excel
2. Click Tools, and then Options
3. Within the Options window under the General tab uncheck Ignore other applications.

If this does not work, try doing a Detect and Repair within Excel from the Help menu.