can't open file-not recognized as Excel format

D

drphil

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Joined
Sep 6, 2007
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3
Hi guys

I have an excel file (6.6MB) damaged during a system crash.

Trying to open it from its shortcut prompts the "open with" box. Clicking excel prompts the ".....cannot be opened. The file may be read-only......." error message.

The properties box for this file identifies its type as "File", not as "Microsoft Excel Worksheet". (Some other damaged excel files are now also identified as "File" but I can open these ok).

I have opened and saved a version in Word but obviously the file is unreadable!

I have also tried to copy cells to a new workbook but get the "File not found" message.

(System Details:Windows 98SE, Excel 2000)

Any help would be very much appreciated

Phil
 

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I assume the file has the extension, .xls. If so, open Excel, then click on File, Open, locate your file, and double click on it. Perhaps this will allow opening it?
 
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No, the file does not have the .xls extension.

However, as I said above, I have other damaged files that will open and these don't have .xls extensions either.

Thanks anyway.

Phil
 
Upvote 0
Hello Phil

Sometimes I find that Open Office Calc is much more successful when attempting to open damaged Excel files than Excel itself - it might be worth downloading it (it's free, do a Google search) and giving it a try. Possibly, even if this works, you may not be able to recover all your data though (as .xls is not the OO program's native format).
 
Upvote 0
If all else fails, and, as a last resource, open Wordpad, or any other text-oriented program, and use File, Open, etc. You should, at least, be able to see most of your data and, if it is not otherwise available, you should be able to painstakingly re-enter the data into a new, Excel spreadsheet.
 
Upvote 0
Thanks guys.

File opens in Wordpad but is unintelligble. Will try Open Office calc option.

Phil
 
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