InfoCubes

I am working on an IDES installation of SAP BW. I am following the SAP StepByStep Guide and have come across the following problems:

1) I am not able to activate an InfoCube that I created, it takes me to a Log File. However, I have created Info Areas and Catalogs

2) When I run the transaction code for BEx (rrmx) it gives me the message install Excel (although it opens Excel). How do I install the plugins?

Thanks