Startup error: 'ASAP_Utilities_ribbon.xlam' is protected

Question

I'm using Excel 2007. I can install ASAP Utilities.  However, when I restart Exel, I get the following message:  Password:  ‘ASAP_Utilities_ribbon.xlam’ is protected.  ASAP Utilities then fails to startup.

Answer

Unfortunately I cannot reproduce this error. However I've seen it now a few times before. On some computers Excel thinks the file format is not correct and shows this error message. This only happens if the file has workbook protection and has been confirmed a few users. It is very strange that Excel asks for the password when the file is opened because it is a workbook-protection, not a file(open) protection.

It seems to be a bug in Excel, the error is also described in the MS knowledge base:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939597

Solution 1

A reported solution is to restart your computer

Solution 2

Download and install ASAP Utilities 4.5.

Solution 3

This bug is most likely to be solved by installing Service Pack 1 from Microsoft, which can be downloaded from:
MS Office Download center: 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1)

Please restart your computer after installing this update.

Solution 4

If the above solutions don't work, can you then try to replace the file "ASAP_Utilities_ribbon.xlam" with the following version:
ASAP_Utilities_ribbon.xlam (please use right-click and "save as" to save the file).

This file is located in the ASAP Utilities installation folder which is usually:
C:\Program Files\ASAP Utilities\