Excel cannot open this file the file may havebeen damaged or modified from its original format"

[Chrstphrwestwood]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I cannot open an excel spreadsheet I saved and I get the above message. Having read a previous blog I tried using Google Docs but there wasn't an option for a .xlsb file extension and my laptop does not have "numbers". Any other ideas how I can recover this file, or at least not create the same problem again?

 

[David Hille]

I had the exact thing happen to me on a very important excel file.
use it every day. bought a file recovery program with no succes. Don't waste your money. Someone out there with the solution? l am using a power mac 8. HELP

 

[Pat McMillan]

If you have access to a Windows version of Excel, it has a repair feature
that can sometimes recover corrupted files. If not, if you could forward the
file to me, I can try recovering it for you. I could also investigate to see
if I can figure out how the file became corrupted in the first place.

Also, just to be sure, are you running the 12.1.4 version of Office? It's
very important to keep up-to-date with the most recent updates.

Thanks,

Pat McMillan
(e-mail address removed)

 

[RK]

Same thing happened to us. We opened a file on Friday, no problems. Today it won't open in excel (mac and pc), open office, iwork, google docs, box.net. This is not fun and it is an important document. Also, suddenly having problems with other files as well.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Is there any chance you could send me a file with this problem? We would
like to investigate and can try to repair it.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[RK]

fyi Pat, it seems that the drive was going bad but the only files with any data corruption on them are the Excel files. Not sure why this is.

 

[WLS]

Pat,,

Same problem. How can I send you a file?

- Thanks!

 

[Pat McMillan]

Please send the file to (e-mail address removed).

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Pete]

I am having the same problem and have sent you the file Pat. Has this been solved yet? This thread looks about a week+ old.

 

[MacinSF]

I am having the same problem -- Pat, I just emailed you my file. Can you
please help? I am desperate!

Thanks!

Jsoy

 

[Pat McMillan]

I received the file from Pete and found that the file format was .xlsb, but
the file's extension was .xlsx. When the extension was changed to .xlsb, the
file opened just fine.

I'm unfortunately not sure how the file format changed initially.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thanks. Yes, I received your file and was able to recover it in Windows
Excel 2007. I've sent you the repaired file and am investigating the
corrupted file you sent.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[MacinSF]

Thank Pat - I REALLY appreciate it! Note to others out there -- Google Apps
did not open my file but I downloaded IWork free trial and "Numbers" was able
to open it and export it back to excel.

Also, Pat fixed it!! Thanks!

 

[Rebecca]

Gack! I have the same problem all of the sudden. One of my excel files, which I use all the time, is suddenly "not in a recognizable format."

Tried opening in Windows, Numbers, etc., won't work.

Can I send it in for review? It is sensitive information, but I would rather recover it than start over.

Please advise,
Rebecca
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Guest]

Hi Pat,

I've just e-mailed you directly with a couple of files that have been doing this to me. The common feature for me on this has been the use of a pivot table within the file.

I've downgraded to excel 2004 to resolve a number of issues I'm having with Excel 2008 and this problem has occurred in a file I created and worked on in Excel 2004, so it's not just an 08 problem by the looks of it.

Numbers will open the file without problem!

now if only Numbers did pivot tables, I'd have the perfect answer

HELP!!

Jason
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Carl Witthoft]

???? Did you try opening it from the Excel File/Open menu? If it's
just an extension thingy you should be able to open it that way, ...
unless of course Office2008 has even MORE stupid things added that make
it worse than Office04/X/97/......

 

[Pat McMillan]

I got Jason's file and am investigating.

???? Did you try opening it from the Excel File/Open menu? If it's
just an extension thingy you should be able to open it that way, ...
unless of course Office2008 has even MORE stupid things added that make
it worse than Office04/X/97/......

 

[Twister]

I have a similar issue I think. Created a spreadsheet in Windows using Excel 2007 and emailed it to my GMAIL account. I cannot open it with Excel for MAC, I get the same message.
I have tried saving it as both .xlsx and .xls formats without success. This is a brand new installation and first time I have tried to use MAC Office. I installed all the updates. Running version 12.1.5

Also cannot register on this damn site for some reason it wont let me...tried multiple times.

(e-mail address removed)

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have a similar issue I think. Created a spreadsheet in Windows using Excel
2007 and emailed it to my GMAIL account. I cannot open it with Excel for MAC,
I get the same message.
I have tried saving it as both .xlsx and .xls formats without success. This
is a brand new installation and first time I have tried to use MAC Office. I
installed all the updates. Running version 12.1.5

Also cannot register on this damn site for some reason it wont let me...tried
multiple times.

(e-mail address removed)

Have you tried zipping it before sending it?

I have sometimes been able to use the free OpenOffice.org spreadsheet
application can open files that gave that error message:

http://openoffice.org

 

[asa]

Hello
good afternoon

have problem in opening thefile the error message "the file is not a recognaizable format" pls help me