Writer Documents corrupted ?

Discuss the word processor
Post Reply
mrgtec
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:15 am

Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by mrgtec »

Hi,

I have been using the Open Office Platform for years now, I love the product('s), I have many Open Office documents that have been corrupted through a Windows 10 Pro upgrade reinstall that I have done. I need help getting them un-corrupted if possible, they are highly sensitive documents, same thing for images (.jpg files) on my desktop computer (the same computer with the Open Office Documents that are corrupted right now), I have no idea how to get them un-corrupted. I have a meeting in the morning (well afternoon) that I need these documents for. I see the information is still in the files, (like 13KBs), but I can not access the files. Please help. Any help would be excellent.

Thank you,
Michael
MRGTec
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.3 on Windows 10 Pro.
FJCC
Moderator
Posts: 9248
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by FJCC »

What is the symptom of the corruption? If you start OpenOffice, go to the menu File -> Open, navigate to a file and select it, what happens?
OpenOffice 4.1 on Windows 10 and Linux Mint
If your question is answered, please go to your first post, select the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the beginning of the title.
mrgtec
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:15 am

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by mrgtec »

Hi,

When the document opens I get a box ASCII Filter Options, then when I pick the 1's that are there (filled out in the box) which are set to default as the Character Set = Western Europe (ISO 8859-15/EURO), Font = Times New Roman, Language = English (USA) & Paragraph Break = CR & LF. I have no idea what this stuff is, I am just picking it as it is in the drop down & dotted boxes. I then click Ok on that box - It comes up with 3-4 pages of # signs (Number/Hashtag signs).

From the menu, file => open box, it is the same symptoms as above.

Please help. Any help would be excellent!

Thank you,
Michael
MRGTec
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.3 on Windows 10 Pro.
FJCC
Moderator
Posts: 9248
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:08 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by FJCC »

That sounds very bad. You can post a file here for someone to look at but typically files that come up as all #s are unrecoverable. Take a look at the menu Tools -> Options, expand the Load/Save list on the left and select General. Is Always Create Backup Copy clicked?
OpenOffice 4.1 on Windows 10 and Linux Mint
If your question is answered, please go to your first post, select the Edit button, and add [Solved] to the beginning of the title.
User avatar
robleyd
Moderator
Posts: 5055
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 3:47 am
Location: Murbko, Australia

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by robleyd »

If backups were not turned on, or if the backup is also corrupted, try:

As soon as possible do the following:

Download Recuva (Windows only) or PhotoRec for Win, MacOS, Linux and other OSes (only one needed) and let it do an in-depth recovery of deleted files on your computer. You may get a file containing some or all of your data (or not). Do this as a first priority; other use of the computer may overwrite any existing but deleted files and prevent their recovery. There is no guarantee that you will recover anything useful.
Cheers
David
OS - Slackware 15 64 bit
Apache OpenOffice 4.1.15
LibreOffice 24.2.1.2; SlackBuild for 24.2.1 by Eric Hameleers
John_Ha
Volunteer
Posts: 9583
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by John_Ha »

If you see the filter box then all data has been lost from your file and there is no hope of fixing the file.

See [Tutorial] How to find and un-delete Writer temporary files for instructions on how to identify and un-delete the temporary files Writer wrote while you were editing the file, and then deleted. You should be able to recover your file as it was when you last opened it or as it was when it was last saved with AutoRecovery.

You may also find previous versions of the file in the folder it is located in, but which have since been deleted.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
John_Ha
Volunteer
Posts: 9583
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: UK

Re: Writer Documents corrupted ?

Post by John_Ha »

Can you upload a file here so someone can have a look at it.

Alternatively, I have sent you a private message with my email address. Check your messages and email me a file and I will check it.
LO 6.4.4.2, Windows 10 Home 64 bit

See the Writer Guide, the Writer FAQ, the Writer Tutorials and Writer for students.

Remember: Always save your Writer files as .odt files. - see here for the many reasons why.
Post Reply