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

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!

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

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?

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

Originally Posted by 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

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?

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?

Originally Posted by 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?

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

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

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?

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).