[THIN] Re: Sort of OT - Excel 2003 locks up on MHT (web archive) files

Have you tried running ProcessExplorer or Filemon?

Stephanie Atkinson
Systems Administrator
ADP Hosting Services

Matt Kosht <matt.kosht@gmail.com> wrote:

I am reposting this issue as I am still dealing with this scenario.
I recently rebuilt a Citrix server in the farm and low and behold it
can open MHT files without issue using Excel 2003 (same patch level
too). It is from the same base image as others that do have the issue
though. The working server is in the same OU and uses the same GPO's.
Why it works and the others don't I can't seem to find the
difference.

This is the scenario on other servers.

1. Open myfile.mht with IE 6 by double clicking, opens file without
issue (though the dates in the file are incorrectly formatted show an
integer instead of a date)
2. Launch MS Excel 2003 SP3, File, Open, Change files of type to "All
Web Pages", open myfile.mht
3. Excel just hangs (EXCEL.EXE is still running but doesn't respond)



On Tue, May 27, 2008 at 11:20 AM, Matt Kosht wrote:
> On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 3:52 PM, Rick Mack wrote:
>> Hi Matt,
>>
>> It'd help to know what error the users were getting when they tried to open
>> the files, and in what scenario, eg web application, cognos etc
>>
>> A terminal services environment is by default more locked down than Windows
>> XP so using the same GPO won't necessarily prove anything.
>>
>> But in the case of .mht files, it could be as simple as a missing file
>> association.
>>
>> If we look at the file association for .mht it's obvious that on a standard
>> TS server, the .mht file type is associated with IE.
>>
>> C:\>assoc .mht
>> .mht=mhtmlfile
>>
>> C:\>ftype mhtmlfile
>> mhtmlfile="C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome
>>
>> Repeat the two commands on your XP workstation to see if it has the same
>> file association. I wouldn't be surprised to find it associated with excel
>> instead. In that case, try running the following commands on a test server.
>>
>> assoc .mht=mthfile
>>
>> assoc mhtlfile="C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\excel.exe" "%1"
>>
>> Also note that you'll need Office 2003 or later to open .mht files
>> successfully with excel.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Rick
>>
>> --
>> Ulrich Mack
>> Quest Software
>> Provision Networks Division
>>
>>
>> On 5/22/08, Matt Kosht wrote:
>>>
>>> Having an issue on Citrix servers with users opening these types of
>>> files. I have no issue loading the same files on an XP workstation
>>> with the same release of Excel (same patches too). Even put the XP
>>> workstation under the same GPO to rule that out and it still works on
>>> XP, but not on Win2K3R2/Citrix PS4.0 servers. I am stuck as to what
>>> might be causing this issue any ideas would be welcome.
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> I got the same results as you on assoc and ftype on Citrix TS and on
> XP (both use Iexplore.exe as default). Unfortunately there is no error
> message, they simply lock Excel to a forever not responding status.
> Excel 2007 doesn't have the issue and I can resave the file as an MHT
> and Excel 2003 can open it without issue. IE 6 can also open the file
> with no issue (except the date displays as a Julian number instead of
> a date). The text of the original MHT file itself indicates Excel 11
> (aka Excel 2002 from Office XP).
>
> This started a few weeks ago but I can't seem to figure out if it was
> an Excel patch or setting from GPO that made it start doing this. The
> MHT files are produced by Cognos Business Analytic Report Server if
> that helps.
>
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Wishing you a wonderful day!

Stephanie