Fail to run a Excel VBA Code in Windows Server while successfully run it in Windows 11

Question

I have an Excel file with a bunch of VBA code from my teammate. I tried to open and run the VBA function in Windows 11, and everything worked successfully. However, when I tried to open this Excel file on a Windows Server, I encountered a runtime error.

May I seek your help in understanding why this Excel file's VBA code is generating this error on Windows Server? For your reference, the Windows Server is newly installed, and I'm not sure if it’s due to any required runtime not being installed. If that's the case, could you suggest how to install those runtimes? Thank you.

In addition, the excel version of Windows and Windows Server is different. My Windows with Excel version 2108, while Windows Server with 2408

Answer 1

Dear Chan,

The runtime error you're seeing on the Windows Server is highly likely due to a missing dependency, despite the newer Excel version (2408) on the server.

The core of the problem is that VBA code often relies on external libraries, components, or files that exist on the Windows 11 machine but are absent on the newly installed Windows Server.

1. Primary Cause: Missing Library References

The most common reason for a runtime error when moving VBA code is a Missing Reference to an Object Library. Even if the code doesn't explicitly look broken, if a single reference is broken, the VBA engine cannot compile the entire project successfully and generates a runtime error when it hits the first unhandled piece of code.

Action Plan: Check for Missing References

1. Open the Excel file on the Windows Server.

Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor (VBE).

In the VBE menu, go to Tools $\rightarrow$ References.

Examine the list of available references. Look specifically for any item that has the words "MISSING:" preceding the library name.

Common Missing References

The two most frequent offenders that are often installed by default on client OS (Windows 11) but not on a clean server are:

Library Name	File/Component	Purpose
Microsoft Office $\text{xx.0}$ Object Library	MSO.DLL	Used for integrating with other Office applications.
Microsoft Office $\text{xx.0}$ Object Library	MSO.DLL	Used for integrating with other Office applications.
Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) $\text{x.x}$ Library	MSADO15.DLL	Used for database connectivity (Access, SQL Server, etc.).

2. Secondary Causes: Version and System Differences

If no "MISSING:" references are found, the issue may stem from differences between your Excel versions (2108 vs. 2408) or the underlying operating system environment.

A. Windows Server Security Context

Windows Server often runs with much stricter security policies than Windows 11.

Trust Center: Ensure the file location (network share or local folder) is a Trusted Location in the Server's Excel application.

File $\rightarrow$ Options $\rightarrow$ Trust Center $\rightarrow$ Trust Center Settings $\rightarrow$ Trusted Locations.

Macro Settings: Verify that macros are enabled. The simplest setting is usually "Disable all macros with notification."

B. Late Binding vs. Early Binding

If your teammate used Early Binding (declaring objects with a specific library, e.g., Dim fso As New FileSystemObject), and the specific version of that library changed between Excel 2108 and 2408, it could cause issues.

Recommendation: If you can modify the code, switching to Late Binding (e.g., Dim fso As Object: Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")) makes the code more robust against version changes.

3. Installing Missing Runtimes and Components

If the reference check in Step 1 revealed a missing file (e.g., a .DLL or .OCX), you likely need to install the corresponding component on the server.

Database Connectivity (ADO): If the missing reference is related to Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (MSADO15.DLL), you may need to install the Microsoft Access Database Engine Redistributable (usually 32-bit or 64-bit, depending on your Office installation) to provide the necessary drivers and libraries.

Third-Party Components: If the missing reference is a third-party control (.OCX) or a specialized library, you must locate and install that specific vendor's software package or component installer on the Windows Server.

Important Note: Do not simply copy the missing .DLL file from the Windows 11 machine to the Windows Server. You must run the official installer for the component so that the file is correctly registered in the Windows Registry, which is necessary for VBA to find it.