solution provided - culprit is a damaged custom toolbar file.

go to where ever you open excel - shortcut path - create a second shortcut. highligt that second shortcut. go to file, new, shortcut. in the create shorcut Wndow's commmand line field browse to the following path and add the /SAFE to the end of the line.
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\EXCEL.EXE" /SAFE
i chose the name: Microsoft Excel (Temp) for the shortcut's name. click finish. when you start excel you will have to fill your user name information, click on start using microsoft excel from the assistant and you will have to fill in your user name information a second time. bad that you have to do three additional steps to get in to excel but you should be able to get in to excel.