Microsoft → Office 2003 can't open xlsx files

Installed Office 2003 SP3 plus Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats but still can't open xlsx files. I was going to try uninstalling Office 2003 SP3, but Add/Remove Programs states it can't be removed. There's also no Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack seen in Add/Remove Programs even though it indicated install completed for the Compatibility Pack. I get "The file is not in a recognizable format" when I try to open xlsx files. Google search finds others with similar problems, but no solution found there. Does anybody know how to fix this problem.

I'm sure the Microsoft reply would be that you need to buy a new version of Office!

This appears to talk about your issue:

»support.microsoft.com/kb/924074

It sounds like that the pack did not fully install and/or that you have not checked for windows updates, and/or windows updates were not installed.

I would do this:
1. reboot
2. attempt to reinstall the compatibility pack
3. after reinstall attempt, reboot
4. check for updates and install them
5. reboot
6. try to open an xlsx file

I seem to recall having the same problem (with 2003) and XLSX, DOCX, etc files. I tried multiple fixes and again, it was a long time ago, I think what I ended up doing was uninstalling EVERYTHING, reinstalling Office (start Office, exit Office), then the compatibility pack (start Office, exit Office), then updates for Windows and Office.

Already tried that, but problem persisted. However, this morning Windows updates notified me of several Office 2003 updates, and the problem is resolved after installing those updates. Now I need to create a current image of the system because there's no telling how long those updates will be available from Microsoft.

I do believe the compatibility pack is NEWER then SP3, so if you install SP3 AFTER the compatibility pack, there may be issues.

Try to re-install the compatibility pack again and see.

I'm not sure what "that" was since I recommended no less than six steps, one of which you ended up doing -- the Windows updates -- and that was what fixed it for you most likely -- glad to hear it!

I believe that's what happened, i.e. installed Compatibility Pack before SP3 install which caused need for Windows updates. I did this on a similar PC that I made sure to install SP3 first, and everything works as expected with no Windows updates needed.

darcilicious, I had tried all steps you suggested except check for updates, and the updates is what resolved the problems. Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice.

Installed Office 2003 on Win7 laptop and office apps appear under Program Files (x86), but I get error messaging stating there are not programs installed that need these updates when I try installing SP3 and Compatibility Pack. Does anybody know how to fix this problem?

Sounds like that may be a different issue. It may be best to start a new thread for that question, as its different then the OP's.

That being said, here are a few quick things to try (unless you have done so already)

1) When you did the install of Office 2003 SP3, did you do so from the full offline download?

2) Before you install again, clear your temporary files from C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Temp as well as clear all the events from the event viewer. If the install fails again, do you notice any Warnings, Errors, or Critical events logged? If you see any at all, post them as they could help solve the issue.

--Brian

The Office SP3 cannot be installed because I get "There are no programs installed that require this update" when the update program is run. However, I can click Start, All Programs, Program Files (x86), Microsoft Office, and then Excel, Word, etc. to open the appropriate app. which shows it is installed, but the update file apparently doesn't recognize the Office 2003 install.

The error message was given when I tried installing from »www.microsoft.com/en-us/ ··· id=27836, but late Saturday I found apparently a slightly different version at »www.microsoft.com/en-us/ ··· spx?id=8 which installed fine, and the Compatibility Pack installed fine after SP3 install. However, I now get "The file is not in a recognizable format" just as op did when trying to open xlsx files, Windows update didn't find any Office 2003 updates for me like it did for the op. I suspect the problem would be solved if I could get those updates to install, but I don't know how to determine which ones they are or how to install them.

The links that you have above are two different items. I'm going to use code tags to show each link, and tell you why they are both different.

This link (which is the 2nd link you posted)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8
 

is where you can download the full offline file to install Office 2003 SP3. This file is the same one that I referenced a few posts back, and is 117 MB in size.

This link (which is the first link you posted)

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27836
 

is Service Pack 3 for just the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.

While it does not specifically say it, I'm guessing that you cannot install Service Pack 3 for the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack without having Office 2003 at Service Pack 3 first. This is probably why the install of that failed first, until you installed Office 2003 SP3.

So, you now have Office 2003 SP3 installed, as well as SP3 for the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. Your next step would be to install any updates for Office 2003 that were released after SP3 was released.

You can get those from Windows Update (from inside of Control Panel), but you need to make sure that Microsoft Update is enabled. I don't have access to a Windows 7 system right now, but I know on Windows 8, its just a check box that you need to check to enable Windows Update to also check for updates for other Microsoft Products. Here is what I'm talking about on Windows 8.1

This afternoon I Google searched for "Win7 can't find Office 2003 updates" and found results that said to start Windows Update, select Change Settings and check the box that says "Give me updates for other Microsoft products..." However, my Win7 didn't have that dialog box to check. Further Google searches found another post where a user had this same issue which he solved by installing Silverlight. Sure enough installing Silverlight resulted in that dialog box now appearing. Then Windows update found 32 updates of which all but 3 or 4 were Office 2003 updates, and Office 2003 Excel no opens xlsx files as it should. Lucky I found that post about installing Silverlight, or I'd still be searching for a solution.

Glad you fixed it. Would not have thought that Silverlight had anything to do with that box being present or not. I know Silverlight is an application that I have always installed before I go check Windows Updates, which is probably why I've always seen that option.

--Brian