xls file format is not valid

[R.Fritz]

Have an XP PC trying to open an Excel 97 file that is
stored on a Windows 2000 server named survey.xls and
getting an error that the .xls:file format is not valid.
We are using the same program that created it. How do we
open it. Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[Guest]

Try to copy your file and rename it making sure that the extension is .xls An extra period or space could make all the difference. Otherwise, you file could have been corrupted. Not a happy thought
Let me know if this helped you
Jack

 

[Dave Peterson]

I'd try to open a copy of the file from a local harddisk, too.

But sometimes excel workbooks get corrupted.

One cause is opening them from a floppy and saving to that floppy. (Instead you
should use windows explorer to copy to your harddrive/LAN drive), work on it
from there, save it there and use windows explorer to copy it back to the
floppy.)

Another is opening the workbook in MSWord and saving it as an MSWord document
(with a .xls extension).

If you did the MSWord thing, you maybe able to recover a little bit of your
data by opening it in MSWord and copying and then pasting to excel. (But tons
of stuff may be lost.)

And sometimes the workbooks just get corrupted.

You might be able to recover more by using another program--both xl2002 and
OpenOffice have better reputations for opening files that earlier versions of
excel couldn't.

(http://www.openoffice.org, a 60-65 meg download or a CD)

If the file is really important, there are commercial recovery services. I've
never used it, but you might want to check into:
http://www.officerecovery.com

Any chance you have a backup version or emailed a version to someone who could
email it back?