Unable to retrieve the worksheet list from the specified workbook. - ERROR load Excel

Solution. You must uninstall Windows Update:

Windows7/2008              - KB4041681, KB4041678
Windows 10                       - KB4041676
Windows 2012                  - KB4041693, KB4041687

or:

1. Find prior version (4.0.9801.0) of msexcl40.dll.
2. Place in another directory. They suggest the application directory, but since in the next step you will modify registry to point to this older version, it can probably go anywhere.
3. Update registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Jet\4.0\Engines\Excel\win32 to point to the location from step 2.