XL: Link Path Changes Location to Xlstart or Preferences Folder

 Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
Article ID: Q176075
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you open a workbook that contains links to another file, one of the following messages appears.

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition and Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

   The workbook you opened contains automatic links to information
   in another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with
   changes made to the other workbook?

Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0

   This document contains links. Re-establish links?
When you click Yes, the File Not Found dialog box appears. When you click No, the reference in the link is changed to one of the following folders depending on your operating system.

Microsoft Windows Operating System

   The Xlstart folder under Microsoft Excel

Macintosh Operating System

   The <Macintosh HD>:System Folder:Preferences:Excel folder

   Note that <Macintosh HD> is the name of your hard disk.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you do the following:

  • You create links to another workbook and save the files in your "Alternate startup file location" folder. 

        -and-
  • You delete the "Alternate startup file location" setting in the Options (or Preferences) dialog box.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

  1. If the workbooks are open, close them.

  2. Click Options (or Preferences) on the Tools menu, and then click the General tab. Change the folder location in the "Alternate startup file location" box to the folder you used when you saved the files.

    This location should use the same hard disk and folder in which the files are located.

    NOTE: You must open a workbook to make the Options (or Preferences command on the Tools menu available.

  3. Open the linked workbooks. Next, clear the "Alternate startup file location" box in the Options (or Preferences) dialog box.

  4. Save and close all the workbooks.

    When you reopen the files, the links should refer to the correct workbook.

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. 

Keywords          : kberrmsg
Version           : MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a,98; WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,97
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbworkaround

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Last reviewed: February 5, 1998
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