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delete duplicate PERSONAL workbook?

  Asked By: Francisca    Date: Jan 07    Category: MS Office    Views: 1027
  

I'm having a problem with frequent "Excel has encountered a problem
and needs to close--sorry blah blah" situations.

Every time this happens, of course, the system "AutoRecovers" and all
the open workbooks multiply like rabbits. I've finally figured out
how to handle future "situations" but I have a lingering leftover--

I have 2 PERSONAL workbooks. I've made sure that all the macros I
want to keep are in one version, now I'd like to delete the second
version.
How do I delete it since it is "hidden"--I can't find its location!?

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11 Answers Found

 
Answer #1    Answered By: Helina Bonkob     Answered On: Jan 07

It's a file, you should be able to find  it with file search. If it's hidden,
just ensure that you are looking for hidden  files.

Or if you're seeing it in a file open  or file save dialogue, then right-click
and choose the delete  option.

Not sure how you know there are two personal  workbooks if you can't see them.
Give us a bit more info and we'll think about how to delete it.

 
Answer #2    Answered By: Cara Lewis     Answered On: Jan 07

Sorry, I probably didn't explain it very well--I didn't even know
there were 2 PERSONAL workbooks  until this morning, when I discovered
tht I have been loading some of my macros  into one version, and the
others into the other version.

So I made  sure that all the macros I want to save are on PERSONAL, and
now I want to get rid of PERSONAL(Version2).

When I first open  Excel, I am looking at both versions of PERSONAL
(that's how I know there are 2). The problem  is that I don't know how
to delete  a workbook  when it is up on the screen (the ones I've
deleted so far, I've deleted via the shortcut in the "My Documents"
screen--and the PERSONALs are not shown on that screen.

If you can tell me how to delete an open workbook when it is up on the
screen and I don't know its storage location, that should do the trick.

File Search will pull up my other excel  workbooks, but not the
PERSONALs, even when I have specified to look in/for hidden  ones.

 
Answer #3    Answered By: Luis Fischer     Answered On: Jan 07

: File Search will pull up my other excel  workbooks, but not the
: PERSONALs, even when I have specified to look in/for hidden  ones.

Then you are probably searching from the wrong initial directory.
Start at the root directory (or folder) of each hard drive and
search sub directories (or sub folders).

 
Answer #4    Answered By: Xavier Thompson     Answered On: Jan 07

My Personal.xls is in

C:\Documents and Settings\David\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART

You would need to replace "David" with your username

You might also look in the adjacent directories like AltStart.

Also, in Excel look at Tools/Options then "General" Tab and look in the paths
shown in

Default file location:
and
At startup, open  all files in:

Also on the "Save" tab look at

AutoRecover save location:

 
Answer #5    Answered By: Damon Perez     Answered On: Jan 07

you are 100% correct--mine is in the same place--Now, how do I
get into the (invisible) ApplicationData folder to delete  the Personal
subfolder?

 
Answer #6    Answered By: Betty Fischer     Answered On: Jan 07

"Note that the ApplicationData folder is normally hidden  from view in
the User folder. If you open  your user folder via Windows Explorer, go
to the menu Tools>Folder Options, click on the View tab, and choose to
Display hidden folder and files. This will then reveal the
ApplicationData folder to you. "

 
Answer #7    Answered By: Mabel Davis     Answered On: Jan 07

I followed your advice and searched through everything that's
searchable (I was just searching documents before).

Unfortunately, it has not turned up. Quite a mystery!

 
Answer #8    Answered By: Ernesto Robinson     Answered On: Jan 07

You won't be able to do it while it's open.

Try doing a File/Save As and see what directory it thinks it's in. Or do a
File/Properties. That should show you the path.

Also, remember that Personal might not be an xls file, it might be an xla file.
No matter what, do a search without an extension specified and see what you can
find.

 
Answer #9    Answered By: Marion Hayes     Answered On: Jan 07

Both of the methods you suggested worked successfully--they both
revealed that the PERSONAL files are in C-Docs and
Settings-Clark-ApplicationData-Microsoft-excel-XLStart.

However, when I open  up the Clark folder, there is no ApplicationData
subfolder that I can find  to access. Now what?

 
Answer #10    Answered By: Shawna Welch     Answered On: Jan 07

In windows explorer go to Tools/Folder Options then to the View tab then make
sure hidden  files and folders are shown.

Tick "Display the contents of system  folders"
Tick "Show hidden files and folders"

Then when you open  the settings/Clark folder you should see the
ApplicationData folder.

I am assuming you are using XP and are using an account with administrator
rights, not limited rights.

If you are on something different such as NT, or Mac or something the answers
may be different.

 
Answer #11    Answered By: Luise Fischer     Answered On: Jan 07

Application Data is a hidden  directory. You need to turn on viewing of hidden
directories to see it this way.

Alternatively, right click on the file in your search and select "open
containing folder". It should open.

Or simply type the full path name into the Address bar of Windows Explorer, or
even Internet Explorer.

 
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