Solved MSO10 Starter won't read Excel 2003 files

[marcp]

Computer 1: Windows 7 sp1 & Office 2010 Starter

After Patch Tuesday 9/10/2013, Excel 2010 is no longer able to read Excel 2003 files. In fact, all Excel 2003 files have changed from the standard Excel Icon to a non-standard orange Icon. Attempts to open these files will bring up the Install Office 2010 Starter applet where “Activate” is the first of three prompts (don’t remember the other two). It’s as if Office 2010 Starter is not installed, but it is because Word 2010 and Excel 2010 open all files created on the computer.

All 2003 files were created on computer 2: Windows 7 sp1 / Office 2003 computer (that has all updates as well as the 2810048 repeating install bug).

I installed the Excel 2003 viewer on computer 1, and it resolves the issue, but it makes the viewer the default for all Excel files which the user does not want. Uninstalled the viewer restores the original problem and Excel 2010 is back to the default.

 

[xunile]

I've dealt with this issue with several customers over the past week, I made a video on my YouTube channel that explains how to fix it. Hope it helps.

 

[marcp]

Thank you! This was my first thought, to change the program association, but that “virtualization” entry threw me off and I just installed the viewer long enough to read the file and leave.

 

[xunile]

You're welcome.