I doubt if I can help but can you please try the following?
a. start Word
b. start Excel
c. in a blank Word document, put the following field:

{ dde excel system sysitems }

d. select the field and execute it. Use Alt-F9 to show the result - if the
field executes correctly, you should see something like

SysItems Topics Status Formats Selection
Protocols EditEnvItems


I am interested to see whether /any/ DDE connection is being made.

If that works, try

{ dde excel system topics }

You should see

[Book1]Sheet1 [Book1]Sheet2 [Book1]Sheet3
System



If that works, try opening your Excel document, and re-execute the { dde
excel system topics } field. You should see the names of some sheets in your
workbook, e.g.



[Book1.xls]Sheet1



then try



{ dde excel [Book1.xls]Sheet1 R1C1 }



using the name from the previous step instead of [Book1.xls]Sheet1


Peter Jamieson
"doingitall" wrote in message
...
Using MS office 2000 on Windows XP Pro
problem occurs in Word-tools-mail merge-create-form letter-active
window-get
data-open data source- choose excel file which works on other comp, excel
starts doesn't load file and word status message at bottom of window reads
"initiating DDE link with MS excel". Word locks up, never returns, have
to
end task. In excel check "ignore other applications" ok. tried
reinstall/add ODBC and Query. What's not installed properly or how get
excell to open file? Doesn't work either if file already open in excel or
excel even open.