Excel 2010 file association

[venator]

I have Office 2010 loaded, also an earlier version.

Excel 2010 has too many bells & whistles for me, and I'd like to disable it and associate .xls with my old program.

In the file associations, I can't seem to pick up the application - it says it's in C/Program data/MS / Windows/start menu/programs, but I can't even see Program data in the browse function.

Any help would be gratefully received...

[Wak]

sorry, I can't help with your problem directly but Open Office can handle .XLS files OK if you are interested?

[venator]

Thanks, Wak, I have a shortcut to the old Excel version, and can go into it and open files, but just opening a .xls file runs the 2010 version.

[Wak]

Is it not possible to Right click the xls file and select "Open with . . . . " and then select the old Excel version?

[Wak]

Can you try this?
Open Windows Explorer, in Menu click TOOLS, Folder Options, File types. go down the list and highlight the XLS type and then try and change the operative program.

[Buenchico]

'C/Program data/MS / Windows/start menu/programs' isn't the location of a program. It's the location of a shortcut to that program.

So, assuming that the shortcut exists, go to 'Start > Programs' to find the shortcut in the list of programs. Right-click on it and select 'Properties' to reveal the location of the actual program in the 'Target' box. (If the file address is too long to be displayed in the box, click to put your cursor within it, then use the left/right buttons to move along the field).

Chris

[venator]

Thanks buenchico - I've done that - it's in C/Program data/MS / Windows/start menu/programs, but I can't find Program data in the C: heading


aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

[Wak]

Another thought for you, Venator!
If you browse in Windows Explorer to Office 2010 and change the name of it to something like XXOffice 2010 (i.e. add a couple of Xs), then when you click OPEN on an XLS file, the comp wouldn't be able to find it and would possibly then look for the other version that you have installed.
If this doesn't work then simple re-name Office 2010 to it's proper name.
Just a thought!

[verndoug]

Office 2010 is VERY different to previous versions. It can be confronting to start with. Persevere with it and you will find that it is MUCH better than the previous versions - it just takes a bit of getting used to it !!!