Excel: Unexpected Quit Under Macintosh System 7.0.x

ID: Q82980

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
Apple Macintosh System 7.0, 7.1

SYMPTOMS

The following information discusses probable causes and possible solutions for the following System 7 error message:

The application 'Excel' has unexpectedly quit.

CAUSES

An unexpected quit error message can occur for any of the following reasons:

The Desktop needs to be rebuilt

You attempt to load a corrupted document

There are multiple System Folders on the hard drive

There is a conflict with Extensions or Control Panels (INIT/CDEV)

There is a corrupted system file (System or Finder) or desktop file

There is a corrupted application, preferences, or toolbar file

There is hardware failure or incompatibility

WORKAROUNDS

The following are possible solutions for the above problems.

If the Desktop Needs to be Rebuilt

It is a good idea to rebuild your desktop periodically to prevent it from becoming corrupted.

To rebuild the desktop file on a floppy disk, hold down COMMAND+OPTION when you insert the disk into the drive. An alert will appear asking if you want to rebuild the desktop.

To rebuild the desktop file on your hard drive, hold down COMMAND+OPTION and choose Restart from the Special menu. Keep the keys held down until the "Are you sure you want to rebuild your desktop..." message appears.

If Attempting to Load a Corrupted Document

In some cases, a document can become so corrupted that attempting to load it will cause Excel to quit unexpectedly. To test this, double-click on the Excel application to launch it and bring up a new worksheet. If Excel does not quit, it may be that the original document is corrupted.

For information on how to recover a corrupted Excel document, query on the words:


   recover and damaged and file and excel

If there are Multiple System Folders on the Hard Drive

The Macintosh recognizes any folder that contains both the System and Finder files as a system folder. Multiple system folders on the same disk can create many problems, ranging from unusual behavior to complete system failure. To determine if more than one system folder exists on a drive:

From the File menu, choose Find.

Type System in the "Find:" field and click OK.

The Macintosh will bring up the first occurrence of the word "System" within a file or folder name.

Press COMMAND+G or choose Find Again from the File menu until the system beeps without bringing up a new occurrence.

If more than one System file appears (File Find will also bring up folders that match the search criteria), make a note of the folder locations. If more than one of those folders contains both a System and Finder file, there are multiple system folders on the drive and all but one should be removed.

If there is a Conflict with Extensions or Control Panels (INIT/CDEV)

Extensions are INITs' (Initial programs) small programs within the system folder that run on startup and generally add increased functionality to the Macintosh. Control Panels, or CDEVs (Control Device Programs), are INITs that act as hardware drivers or adjust settings for hardware devices. INITs/CDEVs can create system conflicts that may result in an unexpected quit.

To test for a conflict in the Extensions or Control Panels folders:

Restart the Macintosh.

Hold down the SHIFT key while the computer reboots until the message "Welcome to Macintosh. Extensions Off." appears on the screen.

NOTE: Some computer configurations require certain INITs/CDEVs to function properly. These can include systems which make use of third party hardware, such as monitors, accelerators, network cards, and so on. Some password protection programs require their INITs to decrypt the boot sector of the hard drive and allow startup.

IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A BOOTABLE FLOPPY DISK FOR YOUR HARDWARE CONFIGURATION BEFORE ALTERING THE SYSTEM FOLDER ON YOUR HARD DRIVE.

After disabling the extensions, if launching Excel and working with documents does not produce an unexpected quit, an INIT/CDEV conflict may be the source of the problem. Non-Apple files should be removed from the Extensions and Control Panels folders as well as the root level of the System Folder, and replaced one by one to test for the problem file.

If Excel continues to quit unexpectedly, test for a corrupted System or Finder file.

If there is a Corrupted System File

If problems persist after isolating the System and Finder, one or both files may be corrupted. To test for a corrupted system:

Boot from the Disk Tools disk (or any bootable floppy suitable for the computer's configuration that contains the same version of System 7 as the hard drive).

Remove the System file from the hard drive system folder and place it at another folder level. This file should be saved to easily recover installed fonts or sounds.

Drag a copy of the System and Finder files from the startup floppy disk to the system folder on the hard drive. This will replace those files with a fresh copy from the startup floppy.

Restart the computer and test Excel.

If Excel performs correctly, it is likely the system was corrupted.

NOTE: System file corruption can be created by Extension/Control Panel conflicts. If this problem continues to arise, there may be a problem with the Extensions and/or Control Panels in the System folder. In particular, software developed for use under System 6.0.x should be updated for use with System 7.

If Excel continues to quit unexpectedly, test for a corrupted application or hardware conflict.

If there is a Corrupted Application or Preferences File

In some cases, Excel or its preferences files may have become corrupted. To test for a corrupted preferences file:

Remove Excel Settings from the system folder.

Launch Excel. A new Excel Settings file will be created using default information.

If the problem no longer persists, the Excel Settings file is probably corrupted. This can happen in rare cases when the computer is restarted by another application while Excel is running in the background, or if the computer is shut down while Excel is writing to the Preferences file.

If the problem persists, install Excel again from your Microsoft Excel disks.

If there is Hardware Failure or Incompatibility

Some third party hardware may not be compatible with Excel. In other cases, the hardware may not be configured properly or may be malfunctioning. To test for hardware problems, contact the manufacturer for advice on how to temporarily disable or remove the equipment.

Additional query words: 2.20 4.00 troubleshoot tshoot type 1 macxl


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Last Reviewed: March 24, 1999