Internet Explorer Fails with "Server Execution Failed" Error

ID: Q197793

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Directory Security Basic Authentication on Internet Information Server 4.x, Windows NT Server 4.x, Internet Explorer 4.x, and Excel 97 to access an Excel file that has been placed on the Wwwroot directory of the Internet Information Server computer, you may receive the following errors:

Using Internet Explorer 4.x, error number 1:

Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'http://localhost/Samples.xls'.

There are several possible reasons:

The file name or pathname does not exist.

The file you are trying to open is being used by another program. Close the document in the other program, and try again.

The name of the workbook you're trying to save is the same as the name of another document that is read-only. Try saving the workbook with a different name.

Error number 2:

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site
http://localhost/Samples.xls.
Server execution failed

NOTE: If you click OK Internet Explorer 4.x, will not open the file.

Using Internet Explorer 3.x, error number 1:

Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'http://localhost/Samples.xls'.

There are several possible reasons:

The file name or pathname does not exist.

The file you're trying to open is being used by another program. Close the document in the other program, and try again.

The name of the workbook you're trying to save is the same as the name of another document that is read-only. Try saving the workbook with a different name.

NOTE: If you click OK, Internet Explorer will open the file.

WORKAROUND

On the Internet Information Server computer, set Directory Security to Allow Anonymous Access or Windows NT Challenge/Response. In Internet Explorer, empty the cache or set the option in Settings to Never. Delete the Temporary Internet Files in Internet Explorer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x.

Additional query words:


Keywords          : 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01,7.0; winnt:4.0
Platform          : WINDOWS winnt 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 5, 1999