Powerpoint '07 automatic links breaking

KGhaleon

So I have a department of around 20-30 people using Office 2007, they just migrated to 07 last month. They have powerpoint files with links to excel spreadsheets containing various business reports and statistics. When they open the powerpoint presentation it allows them to automatically update those links and the data in the powerpoint slides shows the newest information in the excel spreadsheets.

Now all the powerpoint and excel files have been converted to 07 format.

They are now finding that their powerpoint 07 files contain broken links. Instead of the usual UNC for linked objects such as:
//servername/folder/folder2/file, etc

they get:

//../folder/folder2/file, etc

The links are broken and when they open the powerpoint presentations and click on the button to automatically update those links, they get the error(after several minutes):
"Some linked files were unavailable and can't be updated."

If they move the powerpoint file into the same directory as the excel spreadsheets, it updates fine. However the powerpoint will not update if run from the users desktop or another network location. Due to policies, I can't add the network share as a trusted location.

I'm working back and forth with someone from microsoft to find a resolution, but nothing so far. We tried several hotfixes which had no good results.

Anyone experienced this before or know what the issue is? This isn't a retail copy of Office 2007. Tomorrow I am going to try creating my own powerpoint and link it to a new excel file to see if I can replicate the problem on my machine and the users. This issue is happening on all machines with office 2007 so far.

I'm tempted to install a retail copy of '07 to see if it's an issue with a policy setting. Powerpoint just isn't able to connect across the network from what I've seen.

KGhaleon

--possibly unrelated--

...for kicks I was playing around with powerpoint linking on my home computer, which has a retail copy of Office 2007.

I created two files on my desktop, a powerpoint and excel file, both 2007. I typed a few digits into the excel document and saved it, then I went into powerpoint and inserted an object and pointed it to the excel file. I had the excel file showup within powerpoint and when I reopened the file it allowed me to update the link. No problem.

So both files are on my desktop right now. I then decide to move the powerpoint to Folder1. I open the powerpoint from Folder1 and it updates fine, it is still pointing to the excel file on the desktop. Cool, so I save and close.

I go and reopen the powerpoint file and click update, it fails. wtf
I go in and check the link path and now the link has changed to:
/KGhaleon/Desktop/Folder1/Excel.xlsx
ugh

Moving the powerpoint back to the desktop doesn't help, it still looks in Folder1 for the excel file.

I move the powerpoint into Folder2 and of course, it still fails.

I don't know what I did after that, but eventually the link changed to something like:
/KGhaleon/Desktop/Folder1/Folder2/Excel.xlsx

ugh

Why can't people just stick to basic stuff.

KGhaleon

Oh, I believe the weird linking occurred when I moved the Excel file into Folder1 so that powerpoint could find it. I would have powerpoint in Folder2 and update successfully, saved, then reopen powerpoint to find that it was now looking at /Desktop/Folder1/Folder2 now. o_o;

Crazy.