So modifying the cpan conf make_arg didn't help.
cpan> o conf make_arg make=dmake
make_arg [make=dmake]
commit: wrote 'C:\strawberry\perl\lib/CPAN/Config.pm'
That argument was already in there, so it added it twice in some spots.
> cpan Spreadsheet::WriteExcel
CPAN: CPAN::SQLite loaded ok (v0.199)
Database was generated on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:36:49 GMT
Running install for module 'Spreadsheet::WriteExcel'
Running make for J/JM/JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz
CPAN: Digest::SHA loaded ok (v5.61)
CPAN: Compress::Zlib loaded ok (v2.034)
Checksum for C:\strawberry\cpan\sources\authors\id\J\JM\JMCNAMARA\Spre
+adsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz ok
CPAN: Archive::Tar loaded ok (v1.76)
CPAN: File::Temp loaded ok (v0.22)
CPAN: Parse::CPAN::Meta loaded ok (v1.4401)
CPAN: CPAN::Meta loaded ok (v2.110930)
CPAN: Module::CoreList loaded ok (v2.46)
CPAN.pm: Going to build J/JM/JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.t
+ar.gz
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Warning: prerequisite OLE::Storage_Lite 0.19 not found.
Writing Makefile for Spreadsheet::WriteExcel
Could not read metadata file. Falling back to other methods to determi
+ne prerequisites
---- Unsatisfied dependencies detected during ----
---- JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz ----
OLE::Storage_Lite [requires]
Running make test
Delayed until after prerequisites
Running make install
Delayed until after prerequisites
Running install for module 'OLE::Storage_Lite'
Running make for J/JM/JMCNAMARA/OLE-Storage_Lite-0.19.tar.gz
Checksum for C:\strawberry\cpan\sources\authors\id\J\JM\JMCNAMARA\OLE-
+Storage_Lite-0.19.tar.gz ok
CPAN.pm: Going to build J/JM/JMCNAMARA/OLE-Storage_Lite-0.19.tar.gz
Checking if your kit is complete...
Looks good
Writing Makefile for OLE::Storage_Lite
dmake.EXE: Error: -- `C:\strawberry\perl\libConfig.pm' not found, and
+ can't be made
JMCNAMARA/OLE-Storage_Lite-0.19.tar.gz
C:\strawberry\c\bin\dmake.EXE make=dmake make=dmake -- NOT OK
Running make test
Can't test without successful make
Running make install
Make had returned bad status, install seems impossible
Running make for J/JM/JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz
Has already been unwrapped into directory C:\strawberry\cpan\build\S
+preadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37-_3IUZL
CPAN.pm: Going to build J/JM/JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.t
+ar.gz
Warning: Prerequisite 'OLE::Storage_Lite => 0.19' for 'JMCNAMARA/Sprea
+dsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz' failed when processing 'JMCNAMA
RA/OLE-Storage_Lite-0.19.tar.gz' with 'make => NO'. Continuing, but ch
+ances to succeed are limited.
CPAN: Time::HiRes loaded ok (v1.9721)
dmake.EXE: Error: -- `C:\strawberry\perl\libConfig.pm' not found, and
+ can't be made
JMCNAMARA/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.37.tar.gz
C:\strawberry\c\bin\dmake.EXE make=dmake make=dmake -- NOT OK
Running make test
Can't test without successful make
Running make install
Make had returned bad status, install seems impossible