My book has been transformed to pound signs!!!

by **bgalaviz** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 7:48 am

I am using Open Office. I have been using it for about 2 or so years. Never had a problem. I am writing a book and am close to the end. Last night I closed and saved it like I always do. This afternoon I tried to open it and it was 14 pages full of pound signs. I have tried googling every solution and nothing. Please someone help me??? This book is very important to me. I didnt back up the file.

by **FJCC** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 7:57 am

Check if the methods in this tutorial help: https://forum.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=85038
Do this right away to increase the chance of recovering something.

by **RoryOF** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:41 pm

There will be nothing in your file - waste no time in hoping. Use the methods in the tutorial cited by FJCC to find copies of your file

This problem may have occurred because of over-hasty power off of your computer or snapping laptop lid shut before the internal buffers of the hard disk drives had written their buffered data to disk.

If the methods of the tutorial do not help, download Recuva or PhotoRec (only one needed) and allow it find deleted files on your hard drive. You may need to rename these to the correct file type.

The sooner you undertake recovery procedures the better.

by **bgalaviz** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:38 pm

I have posted previouly. I have been writting a book. The other night I saved and closed Open office. The next morning I opened the Document and they whole thing turned into 14 ages full of pound signs. I have tried several things in the forums. I tried the path it the attached picture. I found a file that might be it but cant open it. Can someone help?

by **RoryOF** » Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:44 pm

What happens when you try to open it? Any error message or just ### signs? If ### signs download and try (as soon as possible) Recuva or PhotoRec.

by **John_Ha** » Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:01 am

Follow the steps in [Tutorial] How to find and un-delete AOO temporary files for

a) detailed instructions on how to recover your file as it was when you last opened or saved it, or as it was when it was last saved with AutoRecovery;

b) how to find previous versions of the file in the folder it is located in, but which have since been deleted;

c) how to un-delete the temporary files AOO wrote while you were editing the file, and then deleted. This will recover your file as it was when you last opened or you last saved it and is probably your best hope.

Before starting you need to know:

1. Were you editing a previously saved .odt file? If so, follow the steps in the Tutorial.
2. Were you editing a new file which had not yet been saved? If so, and if you had set AutoSave ON, and if an AutoSave had taken place, follow the steps in the Tutorial.
3. Were you editing a new file which had not yet been saved? There is no hope.
4. Were you editing a .doc file, but you did not have AutoSave ON? Or did you did have it ON, but an AutoSave had not yet taken place? There is no hope.
5. Did you have Save a backup copy set to ON? If so, follow the steps in the Tutorial and look for the backup files.

If you cannot follow the Tutorial ask someone with computer skills to do it for you.