MS Online Programs- Excel in particular

Try logging into windows live by going to their login page and see if it lets you in.

As for the first point can you use screenshots to show me what you mean?

Sign in to your Microsoft account

are you putting your full email address and then password in there?

eknirb said:

I can sign into that just fine. But this dopey dialogue box will not accept the very same password.

Notice that the email address used here must be the same used for storing the Excel Online document in OneDrive. For instance I have four different Microsoft email addresses added to Excel desktop application (and other Office products), to be able to open documents from Office Online applications from four different OneDrive accounts. Excel Desktop App can only open documents from Excel Online if the accounts are connected.

You can see which email accounts are connected to Excel desktop application (and other Office apps) from the upper right corner when you launch the app. You can also add or change accounts here. Screenshot from Office 2013:

When working with a workbook, click your name in the upper right corner to see connected accounts. Here the yellow highlight = my primary Office 365 account, green = first Microsoft account and so on:

See the last (second) screenshot in my previous post. If your Excel (Office) is not connected to a Microsoft Account, instead of your name you should see the link Sign in there. Click the link and sign in.