It could be a couple of things.

If the users don't have write access to the folder that holds that *.xlb file,
then any change won't be saved when excel closes (and saves the changes to the
*.xlb file).

Maybe your IT Staff decided that the users shouldn't have this ability???

Second (and I'd check this first <bg), I'd look for multiple *.xlb files on
their pcs.

Use Windows Start button|Search to look for *.xlb
Make sure you look for hidden files in hidden folders--else you won't find all
of them!

I'm betting that some of your users have a *.xlb file in their XLStart folder.

So excel opens, loads the real *.xlb file, but then sees this additional *.xlb
in XLStart and loads that, too. It replaces the "real" one.

Then the user customizes the toolbar.

When excel closes, the "real" one--not the one in XLStart gets changed. But the
next time the user opens excel, the same thing happens and the copy in XLStart
supersedes that "real" version--and it looks like no changes are sticking.

======
If worse comes to worse, the user could delete all the *.xlb files found and
create a new one from scratch.

But if they miss finding the one in XLStart, then they'll have the same problem.

wrote:

I work in an office where most people have Office 97. Recently many
started having problem where Excel 97 would not save the way they
customize their toolbars. Every time they exit Excel and restart it,
Excel reverts to the default settings of the various tool bars.

Any ideas what is causing this?

--

Dave Peterson