Windows 7 Need my spreadsheet from my XP computer transferred to my Win 7 computer

[5282jt]

Hello, I own an XP computer and on a spreadsheet in it, I have all of my work info for the last 15 years entered. I transferred all my info to the new Win 7 computer, but the spreadsheet desktop links don't work and I can't figure out any way to get to them. I hope there is a simple solution. I am old and 90% computer illiterate. So, if you know what I need to do, please explain it in careful detail or I won't be able to follow it. I sure would appreciate the help! This is driving me nuts! It took many, many hours for me to enter all those years of info from my paper bookwork onto this spreadsheet. I type with 2 fingers!

 

[patcooke]

When you say you "transferred all your info" exactly what files did you transfer and how did you transfer them?

 

[5282jt]

I put all my desktop items and documents etc on a flash drive and put that into the new computer. Most everything is fine, except that. It was a desktop item. I didn't know of any other way to move the spreadsheet?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Just copy the spread sheet to a folder that you create either on your desktop or in your C: drive, i.e. C:\My Spreadsheets.

If you have the program that opens the spread sheet installed direct it to where every you copied the file.
if you are doing the spreadsheets in Excel then it probably has a extension that starts with XL.

Open Excel and direct it to that folder.

Mike

 

[5282jt]

Hi

Just copy the spread sheet to a folder that you create either on your desktop or in your C: drive, i.e. C:\My Spreadsheets.

If you have the program that opens the spread sheet installed direct it to where every you copied the file.
if you are doing the spreadsheets in Excel then it probably has a extension that starts with XL.

Open Excel and direct it to that folder.

Mike

I don't have Excel, tried it a couple of years ago and couldn't figure it out .
Is there anything that comes with Windows 7 that can do the job?

 

[5282jt]

I don't have Excel, tried it a couple of years ago and couldn't figure it out .
Is there anything that comes with Windows 7 that can do the job?

 

[Trouble]

I put all my desktop items and documents etc on a flash drive and put that into the new computer. Most everything is fine, except that. It was a desktop item. I didn't know of any other way to move the spreadsheet?

Boot up the old XP computer, right click the shortcut that points to the spreadsheet and choose properties.
Look at the Target value it should show you the actual location for the real file. Browse to it and copy the file(s) and or folder(s) as needed to your flash drive and transfer the actual file rather than the desktop shortcut to a suitable location on your new Windows 7 computer.
As far as a program to handle the reading or creating of spreadsheet style documents there are several, I would suggest using the same one that you have been using and install the program you used to create the spreadsheet in the first place.
Free options you may consider
Apache OpenOffice - The Free and Open Productivity Suite
Home » LibreOffice
Keep us posted as to how you are getting on. Lot of other old guys here with crazy skills to help you.
Regards
Randy

 

[patcooke]

You need excel or something equivalent to be able to open a spreadsheet. If you don't want to buy excel (part of microsoft office) you can try a free alternative - open office - download here:

OpenOffice: The Leading Open-source Office Software Suite

 

[5282jt]

OK. I got the Openoffice.org and put my info in.
It's not as fast as using the XP Spreadsheet, but it does solve the problem. I wonder why Windows 7 didn't just leave it alone?

 

[hikerguy]

Good suggestions here. I think you probably had copied the link to the file, rather than the file itself (as someone pointed out). If you had copied the original file and couldn't open it, it was because you didn't have Microsoft Office installed.

For future reference, you can check to see if Microsoft Office is installed by clicking on the lower left-hand corner of your desktop (the round Windows logo) and at the bottom of the "pop up panel" where it says "Search programs and files", enter the word "excel" (without quotes) and press your enter key. If nothing happens, or you get an error message, you don't have Microsoft Office installed. Frankly, you're better office using Openoffice (it's free and is constantly being improved).

 

[5282jt]

I just checked and I have "Microsoft Office Excel Viewer"
Tomorrow I will set up my XP computer and try to do as you said and copy the file. It sure isn't much fun, being computer illiterate.
I didn't even own one until I was 55 and now I'm 64. Thanks and I will let you know how I do, OR where I get stuck, more likely!

 

[patcooke]

The viewer will, of course let you do only that - view and print spreadsheets, it will not enable you to create new ones or edit existing ones. For this you would still be best off with open office.

 

[5282jt]

I have the Open Office, but it takes steps to get to my "Work" spreadsheet.
The old spreadsheet on my XP was fast and simple. I didn't have Excel on that? Just what it came with when I bought the cheap $400.00 Emachine computer. I think it was called Microsoft Works???

 

[Trouble]

I have the Open Office, but it takes steps to get to my "Work" spreadsheet.
The old spreadsheet on my XP was fast and simple. I didn't have Excel on that? Just what it came with when I bought the cheap $400.00 Emachine computer. I think it was called Microsoft Works???

Yes and now you are between a bit of a rock and a hard place. A lot of computer manufacturer's for some reason came bundled with Microsoft Works Productivity Suite of various versions and the products (documents, spreadsheets, databases) are a bit proprietary in their file format.
The first thing you need to do is make a copy of your original file so as not to destroy or corrupt the original. Use only the copy to experiment with any type of conversion.
Open the copy in "Works" on you old XP computer and choose "Save As" depending on which version of "Works" you have your options may very, but use the drop down arrow in the files of type box and choose the latest version of the Excel (.xls) available to you.

To Convert a Works for Windows spreadsheet to Excel 97

1. Open the spreadsheet file in Works for Windows.
2. On the File menu, click Save As.
3. Under Save File as Type, select the appropriate converter:
   Works for Windows 4.0, 4.0a, 4.5, 4.5a: click Excel SS Works for Windows 3.0x: click Excel 4.0/5.0 SS
4. Click Save.

SOURCE: Link Removed
Put that file on your thumb drive and transfer it to your new Windows 7 Machine where you have Open Office installed and open it and see what you end up with. Keep in mind that if it's a complex spreadsheet there may be some formatting issues, formula corrections, etc., which you may need to have to correct in order for it to function as before.
There are other options that are also available that may help.
You can perhaps export it as a "Comma Separated Value" .csv document and then import it into a new spreadsheet in Open Office.
or
You can look into the "Works Document Converter" Link Removed and see if will get you over the hump.
Again, preserve the original file and only work with a copy of the file.

EDIT: You can probably forget about the "Works Document Converter" as it seems to only work with the Works document format and not the Works spreadsheet format.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

If you have your Microsoft Works disk that came with your old computer you can install it in Windows 7.
Then the whole process will be back to what you are used to.

Mike

 

[Trouble]

Thanks Mike for your input.
That might certainly be an option, assuming he has the disk and the version is compatible and will install. According to Microsoft's Software Compatibility site, versions prior to 2006 may be problematic.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/co...-us&type=Software&s=microsoft works&os=32-bit
Even the 2008 Plus version which I believe was the last (version 9.0) had problems with the 64 bit version of Windows 7 and they had to release a free update to bring it to 9.7 to address the issues.
Going forward it might be better to address the problem now and bite the bullet and do the conversion if possible, rather than continuing to allow the problem to follow you now and into the future. Not sure what versions of Works might be installable on Windows 8.
Regards
Randy

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi Randy

I was going by this Microsoft site...

Link Removed

If I read this right it's compatible back to version 2.
I must have a half dozen of those disks around here, it seems that every computer I've ever bought came with one.

Mike

 

[Trouble]

I understand your point.
I just cannot encourage or support the continued use of what now appears to be abandonware going forward, excepting in cases of absolute last resort.
My suggestion is, take the time to deal with the issue now by performing the conversion if at all possible, to a format more mainstream with more general support looking towards the future.
But I guess, in the long run, whatever method gets the OP to his desired results is a good method and fine by me. I just don't personally like kicking the can down the road and perpetuating a problem, if there may be a potential long term solution at hand.

 

[5282jt]

Hi

If you have your Microsoft Works disk that came with your old computer you can install it in Windows 7.
Then the whole process will be back to what you are used to.

Mike

I have the E-machines Operating Systems Disc ??
I assume that's where the spreadsheet on my XP came from?
Only thing is, I once had to use one of these discs and it took everything back to a "like new" computer, with nothing else on it. Wiould I lose all the other stuff I have on my new computer, if I use that disc to get the spreadsheet?
Thanks - Must be nice to know this stuff!!!

 

[Trouble]

It is not likely on the Operating System Disk, it would more likely be on a second disk that says something like "Software and Applications" or words like that. Although exploring the contents would probably not hurt anything, you do not want to boot from it or run anything like setup.exe in the root of the CD.
Best bet I think as stated above, still is to do the conversion / save as on a copy of the spreadsheet and see what that leaves you with.
It's difficult to explain all of the subtleties but you want to be careful so as not to make things worse while you're trying to make them better. If you can get the copy of the file saved in an Excel format (.xls) then the hard part is pretty much done. Even saving the copy or exporting it into a comma seperated text file (.csv) should allow you to open it with the Open Office spreadsheet application which I believe is called "Calc" and then save it as a .xls.