Error: "The document name or path is not valid"

[Luke]

Hi there!

A couple days ago, I began having this problem with Word 2000:

When I attempt to open many (but not all) files, I receive the error "The
doument name or path is not valid. Try these suggestions...." I receive this
error no matter how I try to open the file: By double-clicking the icon; by
using Word's File -> Open command; even by trying to open the files directly
from emails I send myself.

I receive this problem in files with both .doc and .rtf extensions.

I can, however, open the files in both Wordpad and Notepad. A string of
strange characters sits at the top and bottom of the file, but the entire
text appears to be there.

Three different virus and adware scanners (Symantec, ad-aware, and avast!)
haven't found anything that could be causing this.

Ideas?

Thanks!

-Luke

 

[Luke]

Update: I have the same problem when I attempt to open the same file (sent
via email) with other computers. My guess is that the file became corrupted.

Two questions, then:

Why did they become corrupted, and what can I do to prevent the same thing
from occuring in the future?

And

How can I recover the information? Will simply opening the files in Wordpad
and copying the text to a new MS Word file work? I'll lose the formatting,
which is a pain, but at least the text will still be there.

Thanks!

 

[garfield-n-odie]

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224016/en-us "You receive a
'The document name or path is not valid' error message when you
try to open or save a document in Word 2000".

 

[Luke]

Thanks for that, but none of those issues seem to be the problem. These were
just simple Word documents that I had opened and closed numerous times
before, and suddenly there's a problem.

I reinstalled MS Office, and in the process updated to 2003. The files still
don't open, but perhaps now I won't create any more unopenable files...?

-Luke

 

[Beth Melton]

There are numerous reasons for why and how a document can become
corrupt. We would need to know more about the content of the document
in order to make an educated guess. For example does it contain
tables? Table of Contents? Bookmarks? Graphics? etc.

Now, the primary cause of corruption is modifying documents on
removable media, such as a floppy disk or a USB/Flash drive. You
should copy the file to your local disk first, modify it, and then
copy it back to the removable media.

Here are a few things to try:

First try opening the document using the "Open and Repair" command
found in the Open dialog box under the Open drop-down.

If the document contains graphics then in Word go to
Tools/Options/View and turn in "Picture Placeholders" and "Draft
Font".
If the document contains links then on the General tab make sure
"Update automatic links at Open" is turned off.

Try using a document link to retrieve the corrupt document:
- Create a new document
- Copy some text from another document
- In the new document use Edit/Paste Special and select "Paste Link"
- Go to Edit/Links and change the source of the link to the document
you can not open

If this works then return to Edit/Links and break the link to the
source document.

For additional troubleshooting steps/methods take a look at this
article:
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm

You also try a recovery utility such as those from
http://www.officerecovery.com/, however they aren't free downloads.


Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/