If you receive the error "Personal macro workbook in the startup folder must stay open for recording" when trying to record a new Excel Macro, or if all of your previously-saved macros have disappeared, you can often recover the macros by taking the following steps:

1. Click on "Help"
2. Click on "About Microsoft Excel"
3. Click the "Disabled Items..." Button
4. Select the item in the list that says "Personal.XLS" and click "Enable"
5. If there is no "Personal.xls" file in the list, you will need to seek additional help or look in your backups