Fix "C:Documents.xls' could not be found" error in Excel

When opening any Excel spreadsheet by double clicking the file, Excel successfully opens, but so does the following error: "'C\Documents.xls' could not be found. Check the spelling of the filename, 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." This is followed by several more errors referencing similar filenames which do not exist. The spreadsheet will eventually open, but only after much aggravation.

The fix for this problem is simple. Excel must be unregistered and then re-registered. To do this, close your spreadsheet if it is open and exit from Excel. Click the Windows "Start Button" and then click "Run." Type this phrase exactly "excel /unregserver" (minus the quotation marks.) Click the "OK" button and the window will close.  Then click the Windows "Start Button" again and click "Run." Type this phrase exactly "excel /regserver" (minus the quotation marks.) Click the "OK" button and the window will close.

Try to open your Excel spreadsheet again by double-clicking the file. It should open this time with no errors. This procedure resets Excel to it's factory defaults in the Windows registry. You should not have to reactivate Excel after performing these steps.

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