[Solved] New computer won't open old files

Issues with installing under all versions of MS Windows
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Freddypie
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[Solved] New computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

All my files and docs were transferred to my new computer (HP PC Win 10) this month but I can't open any of them. Open Office doesn't even show as an option to use and yet it's installed. When I'm in My Documents and try to open a file, I get a pop-up box to pick my program to open it with, but Open Office isn't an option. When I open Open Office itself and try to open a file from the program, all I get is a box with a bunch of text. Do I need to take my computer back to the guy who did the data transfer or can I fix this myself?
Last edited by Hagar Delest on Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: tagged solved.
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RoryOF
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by RoryOF »

Usually the prompt for ASCII filter selection is a sign that OpenOffice does not understand the file; meaning it is corrupt. I would ask that the files be transferred again, and checksummed for integrity.
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FJCC
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by FJCC »

Can you post one of the files here so others can try opening it?
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Freddypie
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

I don't know how I could do that if I can't open it myself.
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RoryOF
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by RoryOF »

Attach the file to your reply in this thread: the Upload tab is below the Submit button on Post Reply and Full Editor screens, but not on Quick Reply screen.
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Freddypie
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

RoryOF, I'm lost. If I can't open it, I don't know how to link it here.
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FJCC
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by FJCC »

You do not need to open the file to post it here. Click PostReply and write a short message. Look for the Upload Attachment tab just below the box where you type a response. Click on that tab then on the Browse button. Select your file then click Add The File. Submit your reply and the file will be posted.
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Freddypie
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Re: new computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

Okay, FJCC, let's see if this works.
Hmm, the extension .wdb is not allowed! Now what?!
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FJCC
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by FJCC »

I looked up the wdb file extension and it seems to be for Microsoft Works database files. I do not think OpenOffice can handle those at all. Were you using Works to handle these? Are all of your files wdb files?
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Freddypie
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

FJCC, no, no all, but Open Office is all I've been using for at least the last 10 years. I'm sure many of the files and databases were created earlier, but I've not had any trouble opening them with office until now. My old computer had Win 7. I upgraded it to Win 10. No problem at all until getting this new computer.
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DiGro
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by DiGro »

Looks like Win 10 changed the file extensions from .odt .ods etc to .wdb.

See if this solution helps: viewtopic.php?f=74&t=12918&p=417022#p417022
I think it probably is.
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RoryOF
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by RoryOF »

I suspect that the .wdb files were being opened on the old Windows 7 computer by an existing installation of MS Works, which the OP did not distinguish from OpenOffice.

Besides the .wdb files, are there others, which you know to be text documents - what is their file type? Similarly, are there files you know to be spreadsheet documents? Again, file type?
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Freddypie
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

First, sorry for the long delay in replying. Second, yes, my last computer was Win7 but I'd upgraded to 10. But, I'm pretty sure Win7 had OpenOffice. My computer before that was XP which may have used Works.
The word files open just fine although I can tell the OpenOffice version is different than what I'd been using. And there's at least one other file type I found that won't open. It's .wps.
Just out of curiosity, would an older version of OpenOffice recognize these files do you think?
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RoryOF
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by RoryOF »

Use the free online converter at http://www.zamzar.com to convert files to OpenOffice formats.
 Edit: Corrected URL 
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Freddypie
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Re: New computer won't open old files

Post by Freddypie »

I found an office program in the Microsoft Store that would open my files. I was then able to save the files with the .odt extension and can now open them with OpenOffice. Thanks for your help.

I don't know how to post that my issue has been resolved.
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Hagar Delest
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Re: [Solved] New computer won't open old files

Post by Hagar Delest »

Thanks for the follow-up.

I've tagged your topic. See: how to add [Solved] at the beginning of the title in your first post (top of the topic) with the *EDIT button when your issue has been fixed.
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