XL5 Err Msgs: "Excel Busy..." or "Application Can't Be Found"

Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
Article ID: Q117840

The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0

SUMMARY

Microsoft Excel 5.0 for Windows may not be able to function properly as an Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) 2.0 server if OLE 2.0-related entries in the REG.DAT file are missing, damaged, or corrupted.

If you attempt to embed a Microsoft Excel version 5.0 object into another application when either of these conditions are true, you may receive either of the following error messages:

   The action cannot be completed because EXCEL is busy.

   -or-

   The server application, source file, or item cannot be found.
   Make sure the application is properly installed, and that it has
   not been deleted, moved, or renamed.

You may also lose your ability to drag selections from one OLE 2.0- compliant application to another.

MORE INFORMATION

When you embed a Microsoft Excel 5.0 object in another application, such as Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows, the following entries must be present in the REG.DAT file (located in the WINDOWS directory) in order for the embedding process to function properly:

   Microsoft Excel 5.0 Application
   Microsoft Excel 5.0 Chart
   Microsoft Excel 5.0 Worksheet
   OLE (Part 1 of 5)
   OLE (Part 2 of 5)
   OLE (Part 3 of 5)
   OLE (Part 4 of 5)
   OLE (Part 5 of 5)

If any of these entries are missing, or if any of them are damaged or corrupted, you may not be able to embed Microsoft Excel 5.0 objects in other applications.

The first three entries shown above are automatically entered in the REG.DAT file every time you start Microsoft Excel version 5.0. When you launch Microsoft Excel, it registers itself by copying information from the EXCEL5.REG file (located in the Microsoft Excel directory) to the REG.DAT file.

WORKAROUND

Note that the five OLE entries are not automatically reregistered if they are deleted or if they become damaged or corrupted. In order for these entries to be replaced, do the following to reregister the OLE2.REG file with the REG.DAT file:

Start File Manager.
Switch to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.
Select the OLE2.REG file.
From the File menu, choose Run.
In the Run dialog box, choose OK.

You should receive a message similar to the following:

   Information in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLE2.REG has been successfully
   registered in the registration database.

Choose OK.

In extreme cases (for example, if the above steps do not allow Microsoft Excel 5.0 objects to be embedded into other applications), you may need to totally rebuild the REG.DAT file. For more information about rebuilding the REG.DAT file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID:Q122964
   TITLE     :How to Rebuild the Reg.Dat File and Re-Register Applications

KBCategory: kbole
KBSubcategory:
Additional reference words: 5.00

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Last reviewed: September 12, 1996
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