XL5: Error Using PivotTable in Workbook Saved by MS Excel 97

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel version 5.0 or 5.0c, if you make any changes to a PivotTable, such as pivoting the PivotTable or selecting a different page field, you may receive the following error message:

   This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down.
   If the problem persists, contact the program vendor.

   EXCEL caused a general protection fault in module EXCEL.EXE at
   0002:00000e2e.

CAUSE

This problem may occur if the following conditions are true:

• You create the PivotTable and the workbook that contains it in Microsoft Excel 5.x.

  -and-

• You open the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97, and then resave it in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook (*.xls) format.

  -and-

• You reopen the workbook in Microsoft Excel 5.x and make a change to the PivotTable.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem reopen the workbook in Microsoft Excel 97, delete the original PivotTable, and then create a new PivotTable that uses the same source data. When you do this, you can save the workbook in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook (*.xls) format and use the PivotTable in Microsoft Excel 5.x without receiving the error messages described in the "Symptoms" section in this article.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.