Newb questions about Import/Export

I'm new to bulk import tools, and am puzzled by a couple of things:

1) When I export a sample file, it all looks OK, until I get to the product description field. I click on the cell, then the formula bar fills the page with the description. But if I try to modify it, the words are corrupted as I type. L ike ths i. It's very surreal...
I've experienced this with other exported MySQL files, so the tool itself is not the problem. Is it a setting in Excel?

2) If I do manage to type anything in the description field, when I go to the next field, the whole file gets distorted. The cell I've just typed in is now fully displayed instead of being mostly hidden. It looks alarming, and I don't know if I will wreck my database if I try to re-import the file.
Sorry if these are dim questions. But I don't want to wreck my shop

...... I have some ideas now, in case anyone else has these problems (though the silence suggests otherwise )
1. The Excel program seems to lag a bit if there is a lot of material in the formula bar, and this is when the corrupted input occurs. Waiting helps. This isn't the first time I've come across lag in Excel
2. The cell sets itself to 'word-wrap' if I edit a large cell, and then I get the hu--u-ge distortion. Unsetting it removes this problem.

Maybe you should try OpenOffice Calc 3.2 instead of MS Excel? I don't have these issues.

Many thanks, JNeuhoff; I really didn't think of that.
- I know the problem is in Excel, not the tool, and I do seem to be uniquely afflicted
I appreciate your help.

Send me a PM with a link to your XLS file, and I can test it on my machine.