Cant open file after fatal memory error

[Dan]

while pasting conditional formated cells into a
spreadsheet I had Excel crash with no error message at
all. after reopening Excel and the file I was working on
and redoing the pasting, and saving as I went along Excel
crashed again this time with a fatal memory error.

Now I am unable to to open the file, Excel gives me
a "unable to read file" error message.

I haven't backed this file up recently, and the thought of
reentering the information since the last save makes me
sick.

HELP!

 

[dan]

I forgot to mension that it's Excel 97.