Table in Word corrupt. File not usable. Please help.

[barelyabovewater]

Hello. I have Windows Vista on a laptop and Windows XP on my desk. Both
systems have been used for a Word document I've been working on.
This Word document has a contents table and one other freestanding table.
One of them has become corrupt -- I do not know which one.
I see a discussion string about this, but the solution proposed there does
not work for me. When I open the document, I get the error message about the
corrupt file, but the cursor doesn't work, page down doesn't work, the down
arrow doesn't work, the links above doesn't work. The moment I click on the
document to get a cursor, Word no longer responds (I get the not responding
message up top), and then it just sits there. If I click again anywhere, the
document goes gray, and all I can do is close it.
Can you help me recover this document or at least print it out?
Thank you so much for any help.

 

[DeanH]

You don't state which version of Word you are using.
To get the data out of a corrupt file try the following, open a new blank
file, Insert, File, select the corrupt file, OK.
This is for 2003 and prior, may be different for 2007.
How have you been transporting the file between your computers? Word does
not like its files being worked upon when stored on a moveable media, such as
a MemStick. Always save the file to the Harddrive, edit, save, then copy to
the media for transport.
I hope this helps, if not come back.
DeanH

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

For a start, note that Vista and Windows XP are not versions of Word. Do you
have the same version of Word on both systems? Also, a TOC is not a "table"
per se, so if Word is telling you a table is corrupt, then it is the other
table. Do you have the option to use Open and Repair? For general
troubleshooting of corrupt documents, see
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/CorruptDoc.htm

 

[DeanH]

Sorry, forgot to also include the following that may help.
Again this is for 2003 and prior, instruction for 2007 may be different.
In the File > Open dialog, there is a downward-pointing arrow on the right
end of the Open button. After choosing the file, click that arrow to get a
small menu. Click "Open and Repair" in that menu.
If that doesn't work, try opening the document in WordPad.
If all else fails, go back to the Open dialog in Word and set the "Files of
type" box to "Recover Text from Any File". You'll get a lot of garbage, but
some or all of the text should be there.
Have a look here:http://word.mvps.org/faqs/apperrors/corruptdoc.htm
Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[barelyabovewater]

Dean and Suzanne, I want to thank you both for your prompt replies. I so
appreciate that. I always save early and often, but that was not enough to
save me from this particular problem.
Open and repair is not available with my version of Word, and there is no
down arrow that I could see on the open button. Yesterday, frantically, I
tried opening this document with Word Pad, and with every other application,
but nothing worked.
I did finally manage to open the document using "Recover Text From Any
File." Yes, it's a mess, but at least it's there. Thank you, thank you, thank
you. You saved me a great deal of work. Now I can pluck and paste and I don't
have to reinvent this particular wheel.
I am in your debt.