Over written word file

[Gary]

Help needed.

I accidentally save a Microsoft word file to another Microsoft word file
with the same file name. I realized the latter has much more contents that I
need. I have been using Microsoft OfficeXP professional version. Is there any
way to restore the one that was over written? Please advice.

Thank you very much.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Help needed.

I accidentally save a Microsoft word file to another Microsoft word file
with the same file name. I realized the latter has much more contents that I
need. I have been using Microsoft OfficeXP professional version. Is there any
way to restore the one that was over written? Please advice.

Thank you very much.

If you had the "Always make backup copy" option checked in Tools >
Options > Save, then there would be a file in the same folder with the
name "Backup of <your doc>.wbk" containing the previous version of the
document. If that box was unchecked, and if you have no other backups
of the previous version, then it's gone.

See http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/General/AutomaticSave.htm and
http://www.gmayor.com/automatically_backup.htm for some things you can
do to prevent a recurrence of the situation.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Whenever that happens -- accidental save over an existing document -- there
usually is an immediate recovery option, but many fewer options once the
file has been closed.

What I do... the instant I realized what's happened-- I copy the contents of
the current document to the clipboard, press Ctrl+N to open a new Document
window, and paste the clipboard into the new window, and save under a new
file name.

I then switch back to the previous window. I then press Ctrl+Z (Undo) to see
if I can undo everything I've done. Usually, I can (even after the document
has been saved, since, fortunately, saving a document doesn't usually empty
the Undo stack), and after exausting the Undo stack, the document is back to
the way it was when I first opened it.

The "undo miracle" is an option only if the document hasn't yet been closed.
Once it's closed, you're sunk (unless you have the Versions feature turned
on, in which case you might still have hope.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

None of this helps, however, if you saved the document using the name of an
existing (not open) file, as it appears the OP did.

Whenever that happens -- accidental save over an existing document -- there
usually is an immediate recovery option, but many fewer options once the
file has been closed.

What I do... the instant I realized what's happened-- I copy the contents of
the current document to the clipboard, press Ctrl+N to open a new Document
window, and paste the clipboard into the new window, and save under a new
file name.

I then switch back to the previous window. I then press Ctrl+Z (Undo) to see
if I can undo everything I've done. Usually, I can (even after the document
has been saved, since, fortunately, saving a document doesn't usually empty
the Undo stack), and after exausting the Undo stack, the document is back to
the way it was when I first opened it.

The "undo miracle" is an option only if the document hasn't yet been closed.
Once it's closed, you're sunk (unless you have the Versions feature turned
on, in which case you might still have hope.

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

That wasn't exactly clear to me, since the only way it could happen would be
if the file were in a different folder, but had the same name. I assumed
they'd opened file "a", done extensive surgery to file "a", then saved, then
said "Oops!" If there were different files with the same name in different
folders, then, yes, my recovery plan wouldn't be of any use whatsoever.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Please respond in the newsgroups so everyone can follow along.
http://www.herbtyson.com

None of this helps, however, if you saved the document using the name of
an
existing (not open) file, as it appears the OP did.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup
so
all may benefit.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Not necessarily. I often create a new document, navigate to a folder, and
select a document with a name similar to the one I want to use for this one,
so that all I have to change, say, is the date. If I were to accidentally
double-click on the filename... (I would get an error message, I think, but
some people click Yes a lot too fast).

 

[Gary]

Jay,

Thank you very much for teh helpful info. That'll prevent it hapen again.

 

[Gary]

Hello Suzanne,

I transfered the file from U disk to my hard driver and replace the one with
the same name. I was asked to confirm the replacement and I clicked the YES
one second too fast to realize the casualty.

Thanks for all your-Suzanne, Herb and Jay's help.