Microsoft KB Archive/89982

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XL: Error Message &quot;Cannot Import Protected File&quot; Opening Password Protected WK3 or WK4 File

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 7.0
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 2.x, 3.x, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 2.x, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for OS/2, versions 2.2, 3.0

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SUMMARY
A Lotus 1-2-3 WK3 or WK4 file that is password protected cannot be imported into Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel versions earlier than 4.0 open the file as a blank worksheet without warning. Microsoft Excel versions 4.0 and later display the following message when you attempt to open the file:

Cannot open protected file.

MORE INFORMATION
To open the file in Microsoft Excel, resave the file in Lotus 1-2-3 without the password, or save the file as a WKS or WK1 file. Microsoft Excel can import password protected Lotus 1-2-3 files in the WKS or WK1 format and prompts you for the password before the worksheet is opened.