Hi CR!
Sounds like a corrupted file. First check that Excel will open other
files OK.
Here's a resource post on recovery of corrupted files. I've checked
out all the links referred to. Additional comments and suggested
additions are welcome. Some of the most frantic and desperate posts
come for this and they are frequently in tears of happiness when they
get a solution.
These points cover corrupted files. Don't confuse these with problems
with slow opening, processing or closing of Excel or with Excel
crashing out with a particular file. They are usually different
issues. Here we cover a case where Excel is normally singing sweetly
but with one file we get all sorts of rude messages and just can't
open it.
1. a. You can try opening with Excel 2002 (XP) which has a good record
for opening files that earlier versions regard as corrupted.
This has a very high success rate.
1.b. If a 'normal' open doesn't do the trick use:
File > Open
Select the File
Click the drop down arrow on the Open button
Select Open and Repair
Some have reported success with that Open and Repair facility that
wasn't achieved with a 'normal' open.
2. You can try a do it yourself recovery of the data but not the
formulas by opening a new workbook and trying to access cell by cell
using
='C:\My Documents\Excel\[Lost File Name.xls]Sheet'1!A1
Careful with the punctuation. Copy down and across.
Off to Sheet2....(Swear on Excel Bible 2002 that you'll back up in
future).
At least this method, if successful will get your data back.
3. Then there's some commercial software. I got these from:
http://downloads-zdnet.com.com
Click on Business and then Spreadsheets.
a. Excelfix.exe is from
http://www.excelfix.com
Free trial $89 to buy (1.91MB)
Description: ExcelFix recovers cell data from corrupted Microsoft
Excel files, including versions 95, 97, and 2000. It extracts texts,
numbers, and formulas from the damaged file. Files with damaged OLE
containers are
recovered. This updated version of the demo will now show a larger
number of cells: 600 cells per file or 150 cells per sheet. There is
now an option that allows saving the recovered file in several CSV
text files. And you can diagnose files in OLE mode where the OLE
structure is partially damaged.
Here's one report received: "The "Free trial" is practically a Demo,
that you cannot save, nor Copy & Paste. Though, it brings the 'Dead'
to a visible form. So, I bought it (What I almost lost is well worth
the $89). It's not perfect - took me couple of days to reorganize the
'mess' - but nevertheless, a life sever."
b. ExcelRecovery 3.0.02 from:
http://www.officerecovery.com
Free trial $149 to buy (799K)
Description: ExcelRecovery fixes corrupted Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
files. It supports all modern file versions, including Excel XP, Excel
2000, Excel 97, Excel 95, and Excel 5.0. It recovers cell data, text
and numbers as well as formulas; restores formatting; restores
structure of multisheet files; and the new ExcelRecovery is capable of
recovering corrupted files with password protection (if the password
is known) and restoring worksheet names.
c. Excel Viewer for Excel 97/2000 from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/
Free (3.72MB)
Description Reported to allow recovery of data from corrupted files.
Microsoft Excel 97/2000 Viewer is a standalone program that is
available from Microsoft, free of charge. You can use Microsoft Excel
97/2000 Viewer to view, copy, zoom, and print Microsoft Excel 97 and
Microsoft Excel 2000 files (Microsoft Excel versions 2.0 and greater
for Windows and Microsoft Excel versions 2.2a and greater for the
Macintosh are also supported). Microsoft Excel viewer also includes an
AutoFilter feature that is similar to the AutoFilter feature in
Microsoft Excel.
4. The following allow you to send Excel Files that they recover for
you (at a cost). Diagnostic is free. No recovery - no fee. Otherwise
it's going to cost you $50 - $800 for not backing up (and you're going
have to find a way to disguise that so your boss doesn't know!)
http://www.excelwordrecovery.com/
5. Microsoft has a summary of methods to recover files in three very
similar Knowledge Base Articles:
Excel 98 and earlier: Microsoft Knowledge Base 142177
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;142117
XL: Summary of Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted Files
Excel 2000: Microsoft Knowledge Base 179871
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;179871
XL2000: Methods for Recovering Data from Damaged Workbooks
Excel 2002: Microsoft Knowledge Base 291057:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291057
XL2002: Methods for Recovering Data from Damaged Workbooks
Here's a summary of their methods:
a. 147216 XL: Linking to Data in a Damaged File (5.0 and Later)
b. 45557 Handling Corrupted Excel Files by Saving in the SYLK Format
c. Use the Revert To Saved Document Command to Recover Data
d. 137016 XL: Macro to Extract Data from a Chart
e. Use the Microsoft Excel 97 File Recovery Macro to Recover
Information (Excel 97 only) (This involves download of recover.exe
from Microsoft Download Centre. There's a copy in the form of
Cleaner.xla on the Office Resource Kit compact disc but you need the
"Office 97 Resource Kit" book.
f. If you have the Microsoft Excel converter installed, you may be
able to open your Microsoft Excel workbook in Microsoft Word.
g. You can also open your Microsoft Excel workbook in WordPad. If
the file does open, you may be able to recover Visual Basic code in
your modules and class modules. Search for the words "Sub" or
"Function" to find your code.
h. Open the File in Microsoft Excel Viewer (See above)
i. Set the Recalculation Option to Manual Before Opening the File
6. There's a free workbook re-builder available from:
http://www.vbusers.com/downloads/download.asp
7. Tom Ogilvy has posted the following links to "Yours, in
desperation". I've checked these out and amended for the new knowledge
base numbering system. There were more but one is gone and others link
to
the first one (referred to above).
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;142117
XL: Summary of Methods to Recover Data from Corrupted Files
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;147216
XL: Linking to Data in a Damaged File (5.0 and Later)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;142116
Files Corrupted on Save: How to Troubleshoot Source of Problem
But an ounce of prevention is worth 0.453592309748811 kg of cure!
8. How to back-up, what to back-up etc is covered at:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/backup.htm
9. There's always using AutoSave:
In Excel 2002 it's settings are in:
Tools > Options > Save
Check that you want it and adjust time to taste
OK
Before Excel 2002 you need to have the AutoSave Add-In Installed and
selected:
Tools > Add-Ins
check "Auto-Save Add-in"
OK
Thereafter the settings appear under the Tools Menu
If Auto Save Addin has not been used before, you may need the Office
or Excel Installation CD. I can't recall if with pre Office 2000 this
was in the standard install or whether it is in Custom. If the latter,
you'll need
to re-run the install and select it.
10. For those who want a much better auto save utility:
Jan Karel Pieterse MVP has just released Version 3.0 of his AutoSafe
Utility and that's much better than the Excel on board one. Available
from:
http://bmsltd.co.uk/MVP/
Or find it in the CompuServe Office forum:
http://forums.compuserve.com/vlforums/default.asp?SRV=MSOfficeForum&LOC=US
11. Finally, there's the principle causes of corruption which are
working from files on Floppy discs. Solution to this cause is easy:
"Don't work from floppy disc!"
Always:
Copy from floppy to hard drive,
Load from hard drive,
Work on file,
Save to hard drive,
Copy from hard drive to floppy.
Microsoft barely acknowledge this in a hard to locate tip:
Secret #28
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=/support/Excel/Content/CoolTips/cool.asp#E10E28
Bookmark it! You'll never find it again without Google. Thanks to
Debra Dalgleish who found it again recently. I suspect that this is
the most common cause of corruption.
To those who've needed to read this, Good luck in recovering your
file. Please report back to the Newsgroup with the details of your
successes and failures. It will help others with similar problems in
the future.
--
Regards
Norman Harker MVP (Excel)
Sydney, Australia
Holidays and Observances Thursday 31st July: Bermuda (Cup Match Day),
Congo (Upswing of the Revolution), Mexico (Day of Mourning), Peru (San
Ignacio). Observances: Lunasa / Lammas (Pagan N. Hemisphere), Oimelc /
Brigid (Pagan S. Hemisphere)
(e-mail address removed)
Excel and Word Function Lists (Classifications, Syntax and Arguments)
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