File Error: Data May Have Been Lost

[Dan]

I installed Excel update 12.0.1. When I open some (but not all) of my
excel workbooks (97-2004 .xls format), I receive a message "File
Error: Data May Have Been Lost." I click "okay." This sequence
repeats two more times and then the workbook opens. Everything looks
okay, but I have not studied it in detail. There is so much data in
the workbook that I would not readily know if data has been lost. If
I save the file in Excel 2008 (.xlsx), the problem does not appear.
What is going on here? Any dangers? Did the 12.0.1 patch correctly
install or should I reinstall the patch that was released yesterday.
DBH 3-16-08.

 

[Juergen Fenn]

I installed Excel update 12.0.1. When I open some (but not all) of my
excel workbooks (97-2004 .xls format), I receive a message "File
Error: Data May Have Been Lost." I click "okay." This sequence
repeats two more times and then the workbook opens. Everything looks
okay, but I have not studied it in detail. There is so much data in
the workbook that I would not readily know if data has been lost. If
I save the file in Excel 2008 (.xlsx), the problem does not appear.
What is going on here? Any dangers? Did the 12.0.1 patch correctly
install or should I reinstall the patch that was released yesterday.
DBH 3-16-08.

Same here. Seems to be a bug in 12.0.1, because I cannot find any
missing data in my workbooks either, but then, you never can tell...

So I have the same question because these are important data that
contain part of the book accounting for my small business ...

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jürgen.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Thank you for your reports. You are right that this did seem to break with
the 12.0.1 update. The error alert is just warning you (in a generic way)
that the hyperlinks are getting lost.

We are investigating this now. In the meantime, if it's possible to save the
file in Windows Excel 2007 as .xlsx that will cause the problem not to
happen.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Dan]

Thank you for your reports. You are right that this did seem to break with
the 12.0.1 update. The error alert is just warning you (in a generic way)
that the hyperlinks are getting lost.

We are investigating this now. In the meantime, if it's possible to save the
file in Windows Excel 2007 as .xlsx that will cause the problem not to
happen.

Thanks,

Pat







--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Pat: Thanks for noting the problem. Your advice is to save the file
to Windows Excel 2007 in .xlsx format so it will not cause a
problem. Please recall that I and, I believe, Jurgen, are on a Mac
platform (10.5.2). Did you mean to save it to Mac 2008 in .xlsx
format? You opine that by doing so, the problem is avoided. I assume
no data will have been lost. Is that correct? Please confirm. By
the way, is the hyperlink a cell link to (a) another cell on the same
spreadsheet, (b) another cell on a different spreadsheet in the same
workbook, or (c) another cell in another workbook? Perhaps, all 3?
Thanks. DBH 3-18-08.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Hi Dan,

Yes, unfortunately, the workaround I proposed is to save the file to .xlsx
in Windows Excel 2007. I should have said, of course "if you have access to
Windows Excel 2007". I know most people probably don't. Unfortunately, the
links in workbooks saved in .xls format are lost on open in Excel 2008
version 12.0.1, so even if you save the file out at that point to .xlsx the
links will still be gone.

To answer your other question, yes, this appears to happen with links of all
kinds (url hyperlinks, links to defined names, linkes to cells in the same
workbook, and links to cells in other workbooks).

As I mentioned before, we are working on this and will hopefully be able to
provide a solution soon.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[john.e.palmer]

Hi Dan,

Yes, unfortunately, the workaround I proposed is to save thefileto .xlsx
in Windows Excel 2007. I shouldhavesaid, of course "if youhaveaccess to
Windows Excel 2007". I know most people probably don't. Unfortunately, the
links in workbooks saved in .xls format areloston open in Excel 2008
version 12.0.1, so even if you save thefileout at that point to .xlsx the
links will still be gone.

To answer your other question, yes, this appears to happen with links of all
kinds (url hyperlinks, links to defined names, linkes to cells in the same
workbook, and links to cells in other workbooks).

As I mentioned before, we are working on this and will hopefully be able to
provide a solution soon.

Thanks,

Pat




--
Pat McMillan
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Similar question to the disquieting message "File error - data may
have been lost".

I don't know what Windows version of Excel was used to create the
workbook. I can bring the workbook into WinExcel 2002 and 2003 with
no error messages. When I bring the workbook into MacExcel 2004, I
get a graphics filter box which states "converting: metafile". When I
bring the workbook into MacExcel 2008, I get two separate "file error
- data may have been lost" messages.

I assume that the "file error" message is due to hyperlinks, as I have
another version of the workbook which is identical except for the
hyperlinks. MacExcel 2008 opens this file without error messages.
The workbook also contains some images, which I assumed were the cause
of the "converting: metafile" message in MacExcel 2004 until I opened
the version without hyperlinks and did not get the "converting" error
message.

In my case, I think it would be reasonable to assume that the
hyperlinks were the cause. Am I correct in this assumption? Also,
are there any other possible cause for the message?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Robert Smith]

Another anomaly I am seeing is that when the work book opens after clicking OK on the above mentioned error message, I am seeing cells with green triangles in the upper left corner. When clicking on the cell, I get a yellow square with an exclamation point in it. When I click on the yellow square, I get 6 choices of what to do ...none of which are helpful. The green triangles are mostly in one column and are in cells in which there is no formula ...just a number that is not refereed to by any other cell. This is a spreadsheet that I have labored on and perfected over the last two years, so I have the same concern as others for 'data integrity'. These and other workbooks were created in Excel Vx.

 

[Oliver]

I have had that problem as well. I work on a spread sheet. Suddenly, XL
crashed. Upon reopening the file, I receive the same message. Unfortunately,
formulae are damaged (they are replaces by #N/A where before a legitimate
formula was standing.). Interestingly, the page still shows the last results,
but only upon going into the cell does one sees that the file has been
corrupted.

Note 1: The lost formulae seems to involved references across pages.
Note 2: More worryingly, a crash on an open sheet ALSO affects previous
version of a file (even with a different name) that are NOT opened by the
session. Can that have to do with the save as 'compatible'?

Would you suggest returning to both XP and XL 2003? That new SW is NOT a
success.

 

[aussienen]

Hi Dan,

Yes, unfortunately, the workaround I proposed is to save the file to .xlsx
in Windows Excel 2007. I should have said, of course "if you have access to
Windows Excel 2007". I know most people probably don't. Unfortunately, the
links in workbooks saved in .xls format are lost on open in Excel 2008
version 12.0.1, so even if you save the file out at that point to .xlsx the
links will still be gone.

To answer your other question, yes, this appears to happen with links of all
kinds (url hyperlinks, links to defined names, linkes to cells in the same
workbook, and links to cells in other workbooks).

As I mentioned before, we are working on this and will hopefully be able to
provide a solution soon.

Thanks,

Pat

I am sharing my .xls file with another user who has Office 2004 - .xls
format is what we have in common.

I suggest that the problem of losing all links is noted on the 12.0.1 update
information page so that
1) users who have not yet installed the update can be aware of the problem
they will be getting if they do install it
2) users who have installed it can be warned of the what data they have
potentially lost - it took me a while to find out what it was that "may have
been lost" and indeed was.

 

[kyuuta6]

Any idea how much longer it will take to solve this error problem? It's very disturbing.

 

[Pat McMillan]

We're getting very close on this one. Please set Microsoft AutoUpdate to
check for updates regularly or watch this newsgroup for news. We're hoping
to get our next update out soon.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[Martin Einhorn]

I installed Office 2008 SP 1 this morning. Unfortunately, this "file error" persists.

 

[Pat McMillan]

Is this a file that you saved out in 12.0.1? If so, I would expect you to
still get the file error when loading the file. But if you open an .xls file
containing hyperlinks created in another version of Excel, you shouldn't be
seeing this alert.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[T Allen]

I have the "file error: data may be lost" message when opening xls files, I have tried saving the file a xlsx this does not give the error message. However, I can no longer select or edit any of the charts I have drawn in either version, and cannot insert a new chart. Any suggestions?

 

[Juergen Fenn]

I have the "file error: data may be lost" message when opening xls files, I have tried saving the file a xlsx this does not give the error message. However, I can no longer select or edit any of the charts I have drawn in either version, and cannot insert a new chart. Any suggestions?

Which version of Excel are you working with? Have you updated to v12.1.0
recently?

Jürgen.

 

[Fergal Condron]

Firstly you tell me what version of 2008 you are running?

Fergal Condron,
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[T Allen]

I am using version 12.1.0

Firstly you tell me what version of 2008 you are running?

Fergal Condron,
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided �AS IS� with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Fergal Condron]

A couple of questions:
Does your file contain hyperlinks and is it ALL xls files?
Is is only charts that are un-editable or any other objects in the file?

Lastly is there any way you could send your file to me at
(e-mail address removed) to take a look?

Many thanks!
Fergal Condron,
Macintosh Business Unit
Microsoft Corp.
This posting is provided ³AS IS² with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[mecklvr]

I'm getting the same error messages in 12.1.0 (just installed today and ran
all the available updates). I'm rather disappointed that these problems
persist a couple of months after the release of Office 2008. I delayed
installing it just to make sure there was a chance for obvious bugs to be
caught and fixed. This is not a small thing.

 

[kelvin_nicolle]

I installed Office 2008 SP 1 this morning. Unfortunately, this "file error" persists.

I just install Office 2008 SP1. My problems with losing hyper links
when opening a .xls file created with Excel 2004 are fixed!