Internet Explorer Fails with "Server Execution Failed" Error

• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Internet Information Server version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Directory Security Basic Authentication on Internet Information Server 4.x, Windows NT Server 4.x, Internet Explorer 4.x, and Excel 97 to access an Excel file that has been placed on the Wwwroot directory of the Internet Information Server computer, you may receive the following errors:

Using Internet Explorer 4.x, error number 1:

Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'http://localhost/Samples.xls'.

• The file name or pathname does not exist.



• The file you are trying to open is being used by another program. Close the document in the other program, and try again.



• The name of the workbook you're trying to save is the same as the name of another document that is read-only. Try saving the workbook with a different name.

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site
http://localhost/Samples.xls.
Server execution failed

Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'http://localhost/Samples.xls'.

• The file name or pathname does not exist.



• The file you're trying to open is being used by another program. Close the document in the other program, and try again.



• The name of the workbook you're trying to save is the same as the name of another document that is read-only. Try saving the workbook with a different name.

WORKAROUND

On the Internet Information Server computer, set Directory Security to Allow Anonymous Access or Windows NT Challenge/Response. In Internet Explorer, empty the cache or set the option in Settings to Never. Delete the Temporary Internet Files in Internet Explorer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x.

Additional query words:

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01,7.0; winnt:4.0
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbprb