Where are my temporary files stored?

[Guest]

I am not sure if this a Windows OS or Office Application question. I am
using Windows XP Home Addition with SP2. I am also using Office Prof 2003
complete with all updates. This is not the first time I have seen this
problem nor is restricted to Windows XP or Office 2003 but I and others have
seen this on previous OS and application versions.

Issue/Problem:

1: Receive an office outlook e-mail with a word document as an attachment.

2: Open the word document, by right clicking the mouse and clicking on open.
The file/document is not saved prior to opening it.

3: Modificatons are made to the document and the file is saved, using the
"SAVE" command fom the pull-down menu, not "SAVE AS".

4: When finished using the file, it is again saved using the "SAVE" command.

5: Word is closed.

6: The orginal mail files is still open on the screen. The mail file is
closed and the systems ask, "Do you want to save changes?". You answer no
and close the e-mail.

7: Look for file using Windows Explorer. Full system search using either
key word, file name, date and time or any mixure. The document is not to be
found. The folder options are set to see all hidden and system files.

8: Word is open. The "File" pull down menu is accessed and the last file
accessed is not the file in question. Which was the last file accessed.

9: "Start" is depressed and "My Recent Documents" does not show the file in
question.

8: E-mail containing document is opened. The file is accessed in the sames
way as first used. The file names is now displayed with an "(2)" at the end
of the file name. The file names is changed each time the e-mail attachment
is accessed. Therefore the next time the files is accessed the file name will
be displayed with an "(3)" and so on.

9: If you save this version of the file using the "Save As" command the
"Save As" window will show the folder location as c:\Documents and
Setting\Dennis\Local Setting\Temporary Internet files\OLK2E.

10: If you search for this folder, "OLK2E" or look for this folder in the
\Temporary Internet files sub-directory it will not be found. Nor can any
information be found concern this temporary file directory on the MS
web-site.

11: The lost file can be retrived using the copy command within the "Save
As" window.

12: I have tried this on two other systems. One system is running Win XP
Prof with SP2 and office professional, the second was configured the same way
as the first system.

I have found the sub-directory listed in the Registry. However, there is no
information that would help a user find this file. Is this an error or just
a MS undocumented feature?

Thanks for the help...

Dennis

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I am not sure if this a Windows OS or Office Application question. I am
using Windows XP Home Addition with SP2. I am also using Office Prof 2003
complete with all updates. This is not the first time I have seen this
problem nor is restricted to Windows XP or Office 2003 but I and others have
seen this on previous OS and application versions.

Issue/Problem:

1: Receive an office outlook e-mail with a word document as an attachment.

2: Open the word document, by right clicking the mouse and clicking on open.
The file/document is not saved prior to opening it.

3: Modificatons are made to the document and the file is saved, using the
"SAVE" command fom the pull-down menu, not "SAVE AS".

4: When finished using the file, it is again saved using the "SAVE" command.

5: Word is closed.

6: The orginal mail files is still open on the screen. The mail file is
closed and the systems ask, "Do you want to save changes?". You answer no
and close the e-mail.

7: Look for file using Windows Explorer. Full system search using either
key word, file name, date and time or any mixure. The document is not to be
found. The folder options are set to see all hidden and system files.

8: Word is open. The "File" pull down menu is accessed and the last file
accessed is not the file in question. Which was the last file accessed.

9: "Start" is depressed and "My Recent Documents" does not show the file in
question.

8: E-mail containing document is opened. The file is accessed in the sames
way as first used. The file names is now displayed with an "(2)" at the end
of the file name. The file names is changed each time the e-mail attachment
is accessed. Therefore the next time the files is accessed the file name will
be displayed with an "(3)" and so on.

9: If you save this version of the file using the "Save As" command the
"Save As" window will show the folder location as c:\Documents and
Setting\Dennis\Local Setting\Temporary Internet files\OLK2E.

10: If you search for this folder, "OLK2E" or look for this folder in the
\Temporary Internet files sub-directory it will not be found. Nor can any
information be found concern this temporary file directory on the MS
web-site.

11: The lost file can be retrived using the copy command within the "Save
As" window.

12: I have tried this on two other systems. One system is running Win XP
Prof with SP2 and office professional, the second was configured the same way
as the first system.

I have found the sub-directory listed in the Registry. However, there is no
information that would help a user find this file. Is this an error or just
a MS undocumented feature?

Thanks for the help...

Dennis

This may help: Go to Start, Run, and enter "%temp%" (no quotes). Press
enter. You'll be taken to the folder that Windows has set in the user's temp
variable.

Note that the temp folders are probably set to Hidden by default, so you
will probably need to unhide them.

HTH
-pk

 

[Steve Shattuck]

I am not sure if this a Windows OS or Office Application question. I am

using Windows XP Home Addition with SP2. I am also using Office Prof 2003
complete with all updates. This is not the first time I have seen this
problem nor is restricted to Windows XP or Office 2003 but I and others
have
seen this on previous OS and application versions.

This is a simple matter of a user induced malfunction. eMail attachments
are stored in the "Temporary Internet Files" folder(s) with a cryptic file
name since that's the only way to avoid the possibility of a duplicated file
name. Thus, you have two choices, 1) save the attachment on the HD before
opening them in Word or 2) tell your users to use the "save as" function
instead of the "save" function. You might want to write a macro that forces
the "save as" since it also requires resetting the folder to save in, or
your not much better off except that the name is no longer cryptic. Having
said that, depending on the user to do it right obviously doesn't work.

Now, you probable can find a lost document using the Windows search function
and searching for *.* and include something unique from the document in the
contains text option. However, the same problem exists, you need to
immediately move and rename the file or it will get lost again. Of course
this also assumes that no one has emptied the Temporary Internet folder.