Error msg..

[dunno]

Hi..i am having a problem opening a file..
it gives me this msg:
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word was unable to read this document. it may be corrupt.
Try one or more of the following:
*open and repair the file.
*open the file with the text recovery converter
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another problem is that i dont have the text recovery converter..

hoping to hear an answer

Thanks

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You do have the text recovery converter. This is Word's way of saying that
you should choose "Recover Text from Any File" in the "Files of type" box in
the File Open dialog.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Note that less-drastic option should probably be tried before "Recover text
from any file". Assuming you have one of the later versions of Word (e.g.,
2002 or 2003) I would first try:

1. In Word's Open dialog, select the file in question and use the dropdown
arrow next to Open to choose Open and Repair.

If that fails, try:

2. Using WordPad (in Windows' Accessories program group) to try to open the
file. This often will let you recover formatting; if you can open the file
here, copy it and paste it into a new Word document.

If that fails, try:

3. Using some other program (e.g., WordPerfect, Open Office, or some other
wordprocessor you might have available) to try to open the file. Often,
things that choke Word are ignored by other wordprocessors. If successful,
copy to the clipboard and paste into a new Word document.

Only after these fail would I resort to "Recover text from any file," as the
former--if they work--will [usually] at least let you recover significant
formatting. Recover text... recovers only text, and if Fast Saves (which
should never be on) is on, then you often will have multiple copies of some
text sections, varying only slightly, as well as text you deleted.

Good luck.