Recovering a file that was accidently "replaced"

[Zach]

I am in rural China supervising a textual archive project where a group of
Tibetan monks, most of of which have never used a computer, are inputting
Buddhist texts into Microsoft Word. Recently, one of the monks mistakenly
saved a Word document using the same name as document he already had saved
previously. When asked if he wanted to replace the current document, he
clicked "yes" and, as a result, lost all of the work that he had put into the
original document (about 4 full days worth of input). Is there any way at all
that he can somehow recover his previous work?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

Not unless he has some sort of a backup file that he created. For future
reference, had he *NOT* closed Word, he could have done multiple undos and
get back to where he started. Once you close Word, you're pretty much sunk.

Since this seems like an important project, get into the habit of making
daily backup files and store them on some sort of removable media.

 

[Zach]

Thank you this is very helpful. Part of the problem is that they hardly know
how to read Chinese, so when they receive prompts from the Chinese version of
XP, they click "yes" or "no" etc. indiscriminately... Anyways, thanks again
for the prompt reply.

Not unless he has some sort of a backup file that he created. For future
reference, had he *NOT* closed Word, he could have done multiple undos and
get back to where he started. Once you close Word, you're pretty much sunk.

Since this seems like an important project, get into the habit of making
daily backup files and store them on some sort of removable media.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I am in rural China supervising a textual archive project where a group of
Tibetan monks, most of of which have never used a computer, are inputting
Buddhist texts into Microsoft Word. Recently, one of the monks mistakenly
saved a Word document using the same name as document he already had saved
previously. When asked if he wanted to replace the current document, he
clicked "yes" and, as a result, lost all of the work that he had put into
the
original document (about 4 full days worth of input). Is there any way at
all
that he can somehow recover his previous work?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I envy you and your involvement of this task on one level. And yet, I do not
envy you having to work with computer-illiterate folks on it.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Thank you this is very helpful. Part of the problem is that they hardly
know
how to read Chinese, so when they receive prompts from the Chinese version
of
XP, they click "yes" or "no" etc. indiscriminately... Anyways, thanks
again
for the prompt reply.

Not unless he has some sort of a backup file that he created. For future
reference, had he *NOT* closed Word, he could have done multiple undos
and
get back to where he started. Once you close Word, you're pretty much
sunk.

Since this seems like an important project, get into the habit of making
daily backup files and store them on some sort of removable media.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

I am in rural China supervising a textual archive project where a group
of
Tibetan monks, most of of which have never used a computer, are
inputting
Buddhist texts into Microsoft Word. Recently, one of the monks
mistakenly
saved a Word document using the same name as document he already had
saved
previously. When asked if he wanted to replace the current document, he
clicked "yes" and, as a result, lost all of the work that he had put
into
the
original document (about 4 full days worth of input). Is there any way
at
all
that he can somehow recover his previous work?

 

[revyakin]

Is there any way at all

that he can somehow recover his previous work?

No. hopefully he printed smth out so that he can quickly re-type the
work. I did the exact same thing while writing my thesis. It took me
1/2 day to re-do 3 days of work (since it's still in the head, right?
in a non-structurized form though), so, it was not too bad.

 

[Zach]

Fortunately they are fast learners, so we've been able to minimize problems
like this for the most part. The salary here is not really something to envy;
espcially compared to a microsoft salary perhaps!

cheers
zach

I envy you and your involvement of this task on one level. And yet, I do not
envy you having to work with computer-illiterate folks on it.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Thank you this is very helpful. Part of the problem is that they hardly
know
how to read Chinese, so when they receive prompts from the Chinese version
of
XP, they click "yes" or "no" etc. indiscriminately... Anyways, thanks
again
for the prompt reply.

Not unless he has some sort of a backup file that he created. For future
reference, had he *NOT* closed Word, he could have done multiple undos
and
get back to where he started. Once you close Word, you're pretty much
sunk.

Since this seems like an important project, get into the habit of making
daily backup files and store them on some sort of removable media.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




I am in rural China supervising a textual archive project where a group
of
Tibetan monks, most of of which have never used a computer, are
inputting
Buddhist texts into Microsoft Word. Recently, one of the monks
mistakenly
saved a Word document using the same name as document he already had
saved
previously. When asked if he wanted to replace the current document, he
clicked "yes" and, as a result, lost all of the work that he had put
into
the
original document (about 4 full days worth of input). Is there any way
at
all
that he can somehow recover his previous work?

 

[JoAnn Paules [MVP]]

I wouldn't know - I'm not a Microsoft employee. MVPs are volunteers.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Fortunately they are fast learners, so we've been able to minimize
problems
like this for the most part. The salary here is not really something to
envy;
espcially compared to a microsoft salary perhaps!

cheers
zach

I envy you and your involvement of this task on one level. And yet, I do
not
envy you having to work with computer-illiterate folks on it.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Thank you this is very helpful. Part of the problem is that they hardly
know
how to read Chinese, so when they receive prompts from the Chinese
version
of
XP, they click "yes" or "no" etc. indiscriminately... Anyways, thanks
again
for the prompt reply.

:

Not unless he has some sort of a backup file that he created. For
future
reference, had he *NOT* closed Word, he could have done multiple undos
and
get back to where he started. Once you close Word, you're pretty much
sunk.

Since this seems like an important project, get into the habit of
making
daily backup files and store them on some sort of removable media.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




I am in rural China supervising a textual archive project where a
group
of
Tibetan monks, most of of which have never used a computer, are
inputting
Buddhist texts into Microsoft Word. Recently, one of the monks
mistakenly
saved a Word document using the same name as document he already had
saved
previously. When asked if he wanted to replace the current document,
he
clicked "yes" and, as a result, lost all of the work that he had put
into
the
original document (about 4 full days worth of input). Is there any
way
at
all
that he can somehow recover his previous work?