J-Walk & Associates, Inc.

Detect And Repair

Office 2003 (I think) introduced a feature on the Help menu called "Detect and Repair." If an Office app is not working correctly, this command will try to fix it. I've recommended it to several people, and in just about every case it worked.

In Office 2007, the command is available in the Resources tab of the Excel Options dialog box.

Apparently, this useful tool has been removed from Office 2010. I could not find a command or button to diagnose problems. But I did find this in the Help system:

Maybe it's just a joke, added by a technical writer.

- Reader Comments -

Following are comments in response to this item.
The most recent comment is at the bottom.

1. By Ron Ratliff. Comment posted 19 January, 2010 8:57am

   I love it! We've all wished we could say something like that!
   
   Thank you for finding and sharing it! True dedication!
2. By Fred Chidester Sr. Comment posted 19 January, 2010 1:35pm

   John I saw that same statement,some place as I was loading the Windows 7 upgrade onto my notebook. Four words "you gotta be kidding" > Maybe they are waiting for the check to clear or something.
3. By sam. Comment posted 19 January, 2010 7:18pm

   "I could not find a command or button to diagnose problems"
   
   Its there where it always use to be
   
   Sub Detect_Repair(control As IRibbonControl)
   Application.CommandBars.FindControl(ID:=3774).Execute
   End Sub
4. By sam. Comment posted 19 January, 2010 7:19pm

   http://tinypic.com/r/29qiqo4/6 - Forgot to put the link
5. By John Walkenbach. Comment posted 19 January, 2010 9:18pm

   Is that an actual screen shot, or just a joke? Nobody could possibly want that many icons, could they?
6. By sam. Comment posted 20 January, 2010 12:40am

   Depends on what you do...I have one click access to roughly 100 plus features.. plus most of those button are split buttons... so if I click on the Find button - It lauches the find Dialog as it should...If I click on the drop down of the find button it gives me features related to find....I dont have to click on the find button to discover that I need one more click to get to find !
7. By sam. Comment posted 20 January, 2010 12:44am

   http://tinypic.com/r/wu5a4m/6 - Find Split
8. By Jon Peltier. Comment posted 20 January, 2010 6:52pm

   Sam -
   
   Here's the important question:
   
   Does the button that's where it always used to be still work?
   
   I could add a button to launch the chart wizard in 2007/2010, but it ain't gonna run.
9. By John Walkenbach. Comment posted 20 January, 2010 7:16pm

   Here's VBA statement that will execute the Detect & Repair command in Excel 2010 Beta:
   
   Application.CommandBars("Built-in Menus").Controls(45).Controls(4).Execute
   
   It brings up this dialog box:
   
   
   
   I was afraid to click Start. That last thing I need right now is a screwed up Office installation.
10. By sam. Comment posted 21 January, 2010 9:39am

    Jon
    They disabled the chart wizard...so it wont run
    
    John
    As I mentioned in the comment you can also use...
    
    Sub Detect_Repair(control As IRibbonControl)
    Application.CommandBars.FindControl(ID:=3774).Execute
    End Sub
    
    And dont hesitate to click start - It does not screw up office - I have used it couple of times already