Thanks for your help. Yes, I tried re-registering Graph,
Excel, and PowerPoint (the additional two were to err on
the side of caution)... it didn't work.

I also tried installing a couple of patches that provide
updated versions of the OLE32.DLL... that didn't work
either. (MS KB824146 & KB828741) Looks like I'll have to
get MS on the phone for this one...

-Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
The only thing I can think is to try to reregister Graph,
but you may have
tried that already -- it seems you've tried all the stuff
at

The server application, source file, or item can't be
found (when editing
MSGraph, Excel Charts, Org Charts)
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00236.htm

If none of that works, it may be time to bite the bullet
and call MS Product
Support.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

"Jeremy" wrote in
message
...
Do you have some sort of solution for the OLE issues?

-Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
Jeremy, since your spreadsheets are linked, the first
question is, are the
linked spreadsheets available, and do the links point
to
the same path as
they did when the worksheets were first linked?

However, you're definitely having OLE issues of some
type
since you cannot
create a new graph/spreadsheet, either -- well, it
seems
that you can do
this on the PPT 97 machines, but not on the PPT 2002
(aka
PPT XP) machines.

So the problem with existing linked sheets *may* be a
missing XLS file (or
it may not, of course!). But the problem with not being
able to use
Insert/Object/Browse seems to be isolated to PPT 2002.

Have you tried running Detect and Repair from PPT 2002?

Also, even though you're not using Norton, it may still
be related to
anti-virus software. You might want to check for
something like the Norton
Office Plug-in on your AV software. Maybe disable
scanning PPT and XLS files
and see if that helps. If not, try disabling the AV
altogether (temporarily)
as a test.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com
presenter, PPT Live '04
Oct 10-13, San Diego http://www.powerpointlive.com


"Jeremy" wrote in
message
...
Hello All,

I'm having difficulty accessing an embedded Excel
spreadsheet from a PowerPoint document, and I can't
insert
an embedded Excel spreadsheet into a new PowerPoint
presentation. I can't seem to find an answer to this
problem anywhere. I'm using Office XP SP3 on a
Windows
2000 SP4 system with all the latest patches installed
(for
both Win2K and Office XP), and no, I don't have
Norton
AntiVirus or SystemWorks installed.

From an existing PPT document with an embedded Excel
spreadsheet:
If I right-click on the spreadsheet --
select "Linked
Worksheet Object" -- and attempt to click
either "Open"
or "Edit", I receive the following error-
"Microsoft PowerPoint can't start the application
required
to open this object.
An error occurred and this feature is no longer
functioning properly. Would you like to repair this
feature now?" "Yes" or "No" are my options to
continue.

If I select "Yes", another dialog box opens that
says: "Installing: Application Server" with a
progress
bar
and a cancel button. Eventually, this process fails
with
the error-
"The server application, source file, or item can't
be
found, or returned with an unkown error. You may
need
to
reinstall the server application." This error also
occurrs if I select the "No" button.

If I select "Update Link" from the right-click
context
menu, I receive the error-
"The linked file was unavailable and can't be
updated."
with an "OK" button to continue.

From either an existing PPT document with embedded
Excel
spreadsheets, or from a new blank PPT document, if I
select the "Insert" menu -- then "Object" --
"Create
from file" -- "Browse" -- (select any XL file
here) --

check the "Link" box -- and click the "OK" button, I
receive the same error as above-
"The server application, source file, or item can't
be
found, or returned with an unkown error. You may
need
to
reinstall the server application."

I don't have any Norton products installed.
I've tried saving the file in an older format (97-
2002,
95) and then modifying the file.
I've tried both repairing and reinstalling Office.
I've tried re-registering MS Graph, as well as MS
Excel
and MS PowerPoint (the last two were just for kicks)
using
the Office path\program name /regserver syntax.
I've tried using a path with less than 64 total
characters.
I don't have a folder in either the root or Program
Files
folders named either "Microsoft" or "Program" (and
as I
mentioned before, I'm not running Win NT 4.0).
I'm not linking to an Org chart, just trying to link
to
an
Excel spreadsheet.

At this point, I'm thinking the problem lies in the
fact
that the PPT file with the original problem was
created
in
either Office 97 or Office 95. I can replicate the
same
problem using the same file across 4 machines.

Machine 1 (original, mentioned above):
Win2K Pro SP4, Office XP SP3 (upgraded from Office
97)
with all patches from windowsupdate and officeupdate
installed. This problem is replicated using either
the
original problem PPT file, or attempting to insert an
Excel spreadsheet into a blank PPT file. I had also
attempted installing the PowerPoint Viewer, to see
if by
chance this would re-register some missing
components.
Didn't work.

Machine 2
Win2K Server SP4, Office XP SP3 (clean install) with
all
patches from windowsupdate and officeupdate
installed.
This problem is replicated using either the original
problem PPT file, or attempting to insert an Excel
spreadsheet into a blank PPT file.

Machine 3
Win2K Pro SP4, Office 97 SR2, appears to be missing
most
OS updates after SP4. This problem is replicated
using
either the original problem PPT file, but I can
insert
an
Excel 97 spreadsheet into a blank PPT 97 file. I had
also
attempted installing the PowerPoint Viewer, to see
if by
chance this would re-register some missing
components to
re-enable the original problem file. Didn't work.

Machine 4
A near-duplicate of Machine 3, except I didn't
attempt
installing the PowerPoint Viewer on this system.
Same
results as Machine 3.

I've thoroughly searched Google for help with this...
but
to no avail. Hope someone can help...

Thanks in advance,
-Jeremy


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