XL97: "Later Version" Error Message Appears Opening a Workbook

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you open a workbook in Microsoft Excel 97, you may receive the following error message:

   This file was created by a later version of Microsoft Excel. To open
   this file, you need a converter that you can download from the Web
   site. After downloading the converter, please restart Microsoft Excel
   and reopen the file.

   Do you want to connect to the site to download the converter now?

   http://www.microsoft.com/excel/work.htm

   <File name>: file format is not valid.

CAUSE

No version later than Microsoft Excel 97 is available; therefore, you receive this error message only if the workbook you are attempting to open is corrupted or damaged. Microsoft Excel 97 recognizes that the workbook is a Microsoft Excel workbook but does not recognize the exact format of the workbook; therefore, Microsoft Excel incorrectly concludes that the workbook is saved in a workbook format for a later version and displays the error message in this article.

RESOLUTION

If this problem occurs, the workbook you are attempting to open is likely corrupted. For additional information about recovering information from damaged and corrupted workbooks, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q142117
   TITLE     : Excel: Summary of Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted
               Files

   ARTICLE-ID: Q147216
   TITLE     : XL: Linking to Data in a Damaged File (5.0 and Later)

   ARTICLE-ID: Q75818
   TITLE     : XL: Linking to Data in a Damaged File (4.0 and Earlier)

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 97.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft Excel 97 is designed to allow you to use converters to open files that are saved in formats that are not normally recognized by Microsoft Excel 97. If you attempt to open a workbook with a format that is not recognized by Microsoft Excel 97, the program assumes that the workbook is saved in a newer format. Consequently, Microsoft Excel recommends that you download the converter for that format from the Microsoft Web site.

Because Microsoft Excel 97 is the newest version available, a later converter does not exist on Microsoft Web site. When a converter becomes available, information will be added to the Web page.

Until a new version of Microsoft Excel becomes available, you receive the error message in this article only if the workbook you are opening is corrupted or damaged in some way.