Just to clarify, I'm using MS Excel 2003. I don't work in Excel 2000.
The full message I get is:

Errors were detected in _______.xls, but Microsoft Excel was able to
open the file by making the repairs listed below. Save the file to
make these repairs permanent.

Damage to the file was so extensive that repairs were not possible.
Excel attempted to recover your formulas and values, but some data may
have been lost or corrupted.

In some files,

I've tried going to MS Support:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/820712

I don't think this solution's applicable since I only work with 2003.

I've tried this as well but the repairs are not acceptable; I might as
well reconstruct:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/ex...346561033.aspx