I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

The first thing I'd try is to reregister excel:

Close Excel and
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /unregserver
then
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /regserver

The /unregserver & /regserver stuff resets the windows registry to excel's
factory defaults.

====
If that doesn't help, are you sure that's the exact error message you get?

AndyCowboy wrote:

I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

--

Dave Peterson

"AndyCowboy" wrote:

I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

"AndyCowboy" wrote in message
...
I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls
is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.


Is this just Excel files or all files? I found after upgrading XP to SP2
that *none* of my shortcut icons worked. The computer's manufacturer's only
suggestion was to uninstall SP2. I found that after an uninstall and
re-install everyting worked

--
HTH

Sandy
In Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland
and the crowning place of kings


Replace @mailinator.com with @tiscali.co.uk


"AndyCowboy" wrote in message
...
I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls
is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

When I go to Remove programs, it says "this update cannot be removed"
referring to SP3


"AndyCowboy" wrote:

I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following; .xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

When you said:

not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

I assumed that you were talking about Windows XP SP2

Are you saying that it occurred after an Excel SP installation?

--
HTH

Sandy
In Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland
and the crowning place of kings


Replace @mailinator.com with @tiscali.co.uk


"AndyCowboy" wrote in message
...
When I go to Remove programs, it says "this update cannot be removed"
referring to SP3


"AndyCowboy" wrote:

I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This
occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following;
.xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

It occured when I updated, I'm not sure if it was SP3

"Sandy Mann" wrote:

When you said:

not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.

I assumed that you were talking about Windows XP SP2

Are you saying that it occurred after an Excel SP installation?

--
HTH

Sandy
In Perth, the ancient capital of Scotland
and the crowning place of kings


Replace @mailinator.com with @tiscali.co.uk


"AndyCowboy" wrote in message
...
When I go to Remove programs, it says "this update cannot be removed"
referring to SP3


"AndyCowboy" wrote:

I now can not open any excel file from my desktop shortcuts. This
occurred
after I updated to the latest Microsoft update. I get the following;
.xls is
not a valid Win32 application." This just occurred after updated to XP
service pack 2.