XL97: Error Opening Password-Protected File with Merged Cells

ID: Q171216

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you open a password-protected workbook in Microsoft Excel 97 and enter the password, you may receive the following message:

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

If you click Details, you receive the following error message:

   EXCEL caused an invalid page fault in module EXCEL.EXE at
   0137:30036924.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:

The workbook contains one or more merged cells.
```
    -and-
```
The workbook was protected with a Password To Open password.
```
    -and-
```
The computer is using French regional settings.

Note that the versions of Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Excel 97 may both be English language versions.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, install Microsoft Excel 97 Service Release 1 (SR-1).

To work around this problem, switch the regional settings on the computer to English before you attempt to open the workbook again. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On the Start menu, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Regional Settings. Click the Regional Settings tab.

3. In the list of regional settings, click "English (United States)" or

   another English setting. Then, click OK.

4. When you are prompted to restart the computer, do so.

After the computer has restarted, start Microsoft Excel 97 and open the workbook. If the problem still occurs, there may be another cause that prevents you from opening the workbook; if the workbook is opened correctly, unmerge the merged cells or remove the password from the workbook before you save and close the workbook.

After you modify the workbook, you should be able to switch back to the original regional settings and open the workbook.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 SR-1.

For additional information about SR-1, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q172475
   TITLE     : OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-1

Additional query words: sr1 XL97 france belgium switzerland luxembourg

Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

Last Reviewed: November 4, 1998