i want to import an excel 2003 spreadsheet into access 2003. i know the correct procedure to do this: File/GetExternalData/Import and i choose the location that i want to import the .xls file from. well when i pull down the "files of type" list is only lets me choose from .mdb file types or xml file types..no .xls or even "all files." i have gone in and did a reinstall of access2003 and choose any and every feature that is has and it still did not work. can anyone shed some light on this please??????

thx, nettech

Since you have already tried updating the Access installation to add all the data access features to your installation and it hasn't worked, you've pretty much exhausted your options with the current installation.

Try completely uninstalling Office in its entirety (not just the Access portion) and then reinstalling it all over again. When you do the reinstall, ensure you install every program in the entire Office application by choosing "Run All From My Computer" when the program tree comes up during the installation routine.

I've had this problem and this was the solution.

Joe

Nettech,
did joe's solution work?
If not I have found this solution to a similar problem on the web which may or may not be of use.
stradie

SYMPTOMS
You are unable to import Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets and HTML files. When you use the Import Wizard to import a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) file, you see a message in the status bar that says "Import Spreadsheet Wizard" or "Import HTML Wizard," but the wizard is not visible. If you quit Microsoft Access and open the Task Manager, the Task Manager shows Access as still running.
CAUSE
This behavior can occur because you do not have the correct version of Accwiz.dll registered on your computer.

RESOLUTION
To resolve this behavior, register the correct version of Accwiz.dll. For Access 2002, the correct version begins with the number 10. For example, the version might be 10.0.2627.1. To register the Accwiz.dll file, follow these steps.

(NOTE: The following steps require that you have Regsvr32.exe installed on your computer. Regsvr32.exe Available at the Microsoft Download Center)

Click Start, point to Search, and then click Files or Folders.
In the Search for files or folders named box, type Accwiz.dll, and then click Search now.
In the Search Results pane, right-click the first file listed, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
Click the Version tab, note the file version for that file and the folder in which it was found, and then click Cancel.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all files listed in the Search Results pane so that you can identify the folder containing the version of Accwiz.dll that you need to register, and then close the Search Results dialog box.
Click Start, click Run, and then type regsvr32 \Accwiz.dll in the Open box, where is the path of the folder containing the correct Accwiz.dll version. Press ENTER.
This process registers the correct version of Accwiz.dll and allows the import process to proceed as it should.