xl97 changed file formats.

xl95 can't read the normal format when files are saved in xl97+.

You could go back to xl97+ and save the file as "excel 5.0/95" or even save it
as a combination file:
"excel 97-200? & 5.0/95 workbook"

Some new features that have been added in xl97+ will be lost (formats
especially, but only if they were used).

I've never used it, but you may find OpenOffice nicer than xl95:
http://www.openoffice.org, a 60-65 meg download or a CD

And if all you want to do is look at the file, MS makes a viewer for excel:
http://office.microsoft.com/download.../xlviewer.aspx

And if you visit eBay, you may find a pretty cheap version of xl2k.

Reed M wrote:

I have installed Office 95 on my laptop that runs with XP home edition, I can
not open excel files from my new lap top that exist on my desktop on my home
network , I get a message that says file format is not valid,

How can I get around this problem!

--

Dave Peterson