XL97: "Microsoft Excel Cannot Access..." Opening File from Web

ID: Q151064

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 3.0, 3.01, 3.02, 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you open a Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows file from a Web server, you may receive the following error message:

   Microsoft Excel cannot access the file <URL>

   There are several possible reasons:

   The file name or path 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 that <URL> in the first sentence of the message resembles the following:

   http://WebServerName/filename

If you click OK, the file is opened normally.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:

You are using Microsoft Internet Information Server as your Web server.
```
    -and-
```
The Web server is using Basic (Clear Text) authentication to authenticate users.
```
    -and-
```
You are using a version of Microsoft Internet Explorer that is listed at the beginning of this article.

RESOLUTION

To correct this problem, obtain Microsoft Excel 97 Service Release 2 (SR-2).

For additional information about SR-2, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q151261
   TITLE     : OFF97: How to Obtain and Install MS Office 97 SR-2

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows. This problem was corrected in Microsoft Office 97 Service Release 2 (SR-2).

Additional query words: XL97 ie ie4 security ftp htp authenticate password

verisign thawte inplace situ view intranet wininet threw exception IIS

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

Last Reviewed: March 24, 1999