XL2000: Error Message: Cannot Open Protected File (321594)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 2000
  • Microsoft Excel 2000 with MultiLanguage Pack
This article was previously published under Q321594
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

If you try to open a tab-delimited text file that begins with the letter "C" in Excel 2000, you may receive the following error message:
Cannot open protected file.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Office 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

276367 OFF2000: How to Obtain the Latest Office 2000 Service Pack

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
   Date        Time     Size      File name       Description 
   -------------------------------------------------------------
   1-OCT-2001  22:12:09 4,462,428 EXCEL_Admin.msp Admin Patch 
   1-OCT-2001  20:53:59 1,908,976 EXCEL.msp       Client Patch
After the hotfix is installed, the following files will have the listed attributes or later: 
   Date        Time     Version    Size       File name     
   ----------------------------------------------------
   19-OCT-2002 08:59:50 9.0.0.6926 7,163,949  Excel.exe
After you install this fix, follow the steps that are listed in the "More Information" section of this article to set the QFE_Osaka registry key and activate the fix.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Office 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP-3).

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk. Follow these steps to activate the fix that is described in this article:
  1. Quit Excel 2000.
  2. Click Start, and then click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  4. Locate, and then click the following registry key:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Excel\Options\

  5. In the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD value.
  6. Type QFE_Osaka for the new value.
  7. Press the ENTER key.
  8. Right-click the QFE_Osaka registry key, and then click Modify.
  9. In the Value data box, type 1.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Quit Registry Editor.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/7/2006
Keywords:kbQFE KBHotfixServer kbOffice2000preSP4fix kbOffice2000SP3Fix kbbug kbfix KB321594
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