have you tried emptying the recycle bin?

Pam, when you use "Save As", you create a new file. Try just using "Save" and see what happens.

Thanks canibus! I'll empty it.

camp56, I actually am intending to create a new file with a different name, but using the same formatting/formulas in the old file. Does that make sense? :) If I choose save, it will save it with the same name, right?

Pam

Yes, It will save it with a the same name. "Save AS" creates a new file and leaves the old file intact. If you are deleting the old file every time, why do you need to rename it?

Is your intention to delete the old file each time, or to keep it? If you are just entering new info, then using save as with a new name, then deleting the old file that has the old name, why not just rename the old file with the new name, then save it? If you want to keep the old file, why not create a template with the formatting/formulas you want? then you don't risk losing the old file.
Hope this makes sense
J

camp and janette, sorry to be so long...I didn't realize there were more replies. Thank you very much.

I keep the old files for a couple of months in case I need to refer back to them. They are weekly sales reports...the format stays the same but the info in the cells changes from week to week. I did try deleting, emptying the bin and rebooting. They're back again.

I'm still stumped...any ideas?
Thanks again,
Pam

So the files are reappearing in the recycle bin?

They don't reappear in the recycle bin, but they reappear in the list of files when I open Excel and choose to open the file folder at the top of the screen. I deleted about 70 files last night and they are back. :)

Thanks for any help.
Pam

Sorry I can't help with that not knowledgeable with excell, had been the recycle bin yeah i could offer help there..

I will do a search though.

I just deleted them again and ran ccleaner, zep. We'll see what happens. I've googled, but didn't have much luck. It seems to be a very unusual thing. Thank you...let me know what you find.
Pam

Pam, If the problem persists try asking on one of the microsoft.public.excel forums where the Excel gurus are sure to provide the answer. It doesn't matter which forum you post on e.g. newusers, misc or excel because the experts scan them all in there quest to provide answers. There is some amazing knowledge to be gained there if you are interested - the only problem is that it can become addictive reading!!!

Colin

Here is a link that might be useful: Microsoft's free help forums

So, they are showing up in your recently used worksheet list?

Here is an excerpt from Excel help:

Display or hide recently used workbooks on the File menu
For easy access to workbooks that you frequently work on, you can display up to nine recently used workbooks on the File menu. You can also hide them or clear their history.

On the Tools menu, click Options.
On the General tab, do one of the following:
To display a list of recently used workbooks, select the Recently used file list check box, and then select the number of entries you want.
To hide or clear the history of recently used workbooks, clear the Recently used file list check box.
The list of recently used workbooks is cleared, and no history of your workbook usage is kept. To start a new history of recently used workbooks, click OK, and then repeat the previous steps to start displaying recently used workbooks again.

Note Only workbooks that you open and save after you select the check box are listed on the File menu. You must also restart Excel to see them listed.
HTH,
the other Pam

Thank you very much bee4mee...I'll refer back to that link if they reappear.

pkponder, they don't reappear on my recently used list, they actually reappear in my documents (Start, my computer, C:, My docs, etc and on the document list when it's accessed through Excel). It's the strangest thing. I ran CCleaner last night after I deleted them again and they have not come back...yet. :)

Thank you all for your help.
Pam