Microsoft KB Archive/125588

= Disabling OLE Services in Windows NT Hangs MS Excel =

Article ID: 125588

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

-



This article was previously published under Q125588





SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to start Microsoft Excel for Windows or Windows NT, on a Microsoft Windows NT workstation using a Microsoft Windows NT server, you may receive error messages if the OLE Service has been changed from the default. Specifically, Microsoft Excel will stop responding (hang) and you will receive an error message similar to one of the messages listed below.

If you are using Microsoft Excel for Windows:

An error has occurred in your application. If you choose Ignore, you should save your work in a new file. If you choose Close, your application will terminate

Choosing Ignore will repeat the error. If you choose Close, the following error message is displayed:

Excel caused a General Protection Fault in EXCEL.EXE at 0014:0D29

If you are using Microsoft Excel for Windows NT:

Dr. Watson for NT: An application error has occurred and an application error log is being generated.

Excel.exe

Exception: access violation (0xc0000005), Address 0x3f720545

The above message will be displayed very briefly and the Microsoft Excel will terminate.

NOTE: The addresses in the error messages may vary. Also, Windows NT Server's behavior may vary according to which applications are running. Note also that Microsoft Excel may sometimes open when the OLE service is not started if the Startup Type is set to Automatic.



CAUSE
These errors occur because the OLE service has been stopped (disabled) in Services (a Control Panel item) in Windows NT Workstation or Windows NT Server. The OLE service must be started before you start Microsoft Excel.



RESOLUTION
To avoid this problem, start the OLE service before you start Microsoft Excel. In addition, to prevent future occurrences of this error, set the Startup Type of the OLE service to Automatic.

To start OLE Services and set the Startup type to Automatic

 * 1) From the Control Panel icon, start Services.
 * 2) From the list of Services, select the OLE service.
 * 3) Choose Start.

The Status should be "Started."
 * 1) Choose Startup.
 * 2) Change the Startup Type to Automatic, and then choose OK.
 * 3) Choose Close to exit the Services dialog box, and then close the Control Panel window.

You should now be able to open Microsoft Excel without receiving an error.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

