Hi, I've faced an issue with Microsoft Excel for a number of years:

All Excel files, regardless of location (desktop, My Documents, etc.),
don't open through single-click/double-click when Excel itself is
closed. I either get an error message, or more recently, Excel
launches without actually opening any document. However, the same
files will open from within Excel (i.e., File --> Open... --> Select
file --> Open).

Since I've been through a number of workarounds already, let me point
out that this problem:
1. Occurs at all times, and not on just one particular PC
2. Relates to both Excel XP and Excel 2003
3. Is not addressed in Excel help files or on Microsoft.com
4. Has not been solved by reinstalling Windows or Excel.

I've been told that my PCs might have registry problems, but my own
hunch is that the features I selected/deselected during installation
might be a better place to look.

:) I am not a Google Answers Researcher. 
Right-click (or hold the SHIFT key and Right-Click) on the excel
document and choose "Open With..."
When the list of applications is available, choose "Microsoft Excel."
[x] Always use this application to open these documents.

See if that works.

Tried your tip, but still no luck...

Thanks for trying, though!

What problems surface with this suggestion? Do the excel documents
contain macros? If so, you may have to turn your Excel macro security
down a notch in order to open the documents.

I'm interested to know error messages or .. something. If you have an
excel file that does NOT have a .xls extension (extensions are hidden
by default), you're likely to not be able to open the document. To see
extensions, double-click My Computer, View, Folder Options. Clear the
"Hide extensions for known file types".

Also make sure your excel filename doesn't have spaces. It shouldn't
be an issue, but sometimes it still is.

In answer to your questions:
1. None of the files contain macros
2. Unhiding the extensions didn't work
3. I just created a file with no spaces--same thing
4. The exact error message that displays using Open with... is
"Windows cannot find 'C:\Documents and
Settings\...\so-and-so-file.xls'. Make sure you typed the name
correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start
button, and then click Search."

Thanks for all your help.

I wonder if your username has an accent or other non keyboard
character. Try this: Make a directory C:\excel
Place your document in this directory. If it works, you have a problem
with your username. This would be the case "for a number of years" and
with different versions of Excel on different computers.

Opening files from C:\Excel didn't work. So it's not the user name.

Back to the drawing board...

This seems like it's something that you'll have to trust someone to
work directly on your computer to fix, as I know I've given you the
answers that I'd have used repeatedly to fix this issue.

I am the only one on any search engine with my username. This is not a
solicitation. I believe I have given the "right" and best available
solutions that are intended to work. Hopefully, someone else can
assist you better than I have at this point.

positive-ga:

Have you tried the solution from

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=OxWiIaulCHA.1392%40tkmsftngp04&rnum=7&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dexcel%2520Workbook%2520Doesn%27t%2520Open%2520When%2520Double-Clicked%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg

Let us know if it works for you.

athena4-ga:

I tried your suggestion, and it worked! Who would have thought it
could be so simple?

I greatly appreciate your help.