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Q156573: WD97: How to Recover Text from Any File

Article: Q156573
Product(s): Word 97 for Windows
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbtshoot kbualink97 word97kbfaq
Last Modified: 07-APR-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Word 97 for Windows 
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SUMMARY
=======


This article explains what the Recover Text From Any File converter is and how to
use it to recover damaged documents.

MORE INFORMATION
================

What Is the Recover Text From Any File Converter?
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The Recover Text From Any File converter allows you to extract the text from any
file. The file does not have to be a Word file.

What Will I Lose Using the Recover Text From Any File Converter?
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Using the Recover Text From Any File converter does have its limitations.
Document formatting will be lost, along with anything that is not of a text
nature. Graphics, fields, drawing objects, and so on, will not be converted.
However, headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, and field text, will be retained
as simple text.

My Document Is Damaged: How Can I Recover the Information?
----------------------------------------------------------

Word 97 for Windows provides a converter for recovering the text from any file.

NOTE: When you change the Files of type box to "Recover Text from any File" in
the Open dialog box (on the File menu, click Open), Word will 'remember' this
setting and will use it the next time you open a document. To avoid this
problem, reset the Files of type box back to Word Document (*.doc) after you
have completed recovering your document.

To use the converter on a Word file:

1. On the File menu, click Open, and select the document.

2. In the Files Of Type box, select "Recover Text from Any File," and click
  Open.

NOTE: If Word is unable to open the file, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q156577 WD97: Why You Are Unable to Recover a Lost Document

To use the converter on any non-Word file:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Select the General tab.

3. Select the "Confirm conversion at open" check box, and click OK.

4. On the File menu, click Open.

5. Select the File you want to recover, and click OK.

  You will be presented with the Convert File dialog box.

6. In the Convert File dialog box, select the Recover Text From Any File
  converter, and click OK.

Word will convert the damaged document and recover any text from the document.

What Does the "...Attempt recovery now" Message Mean?
-----------------------------------------------------

When Word detects that there is a damaged document to be recovered, Word displays
the following message:

  Word encountered file corruption while opening <filename>. Part of this
  document may be recoverable. Attempt recovery now?

This message is displayed when an automatically recovered file is present but
Word is unable to recover it. When you start Word, Word finds the document and
asks if you want Word to try to recover it.

If you click No, Word will not attempt to recover the document, and the document
will be permanently lost.

If you click Yes, Word will attempt to recover the document. If Word is
successful in recovering the file, save the document as a normal Word document.

"Recover Text from Any File" Doesn't Appear in the Convert File Dialog Box
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The Recover Text From Any File converter is not installed. You will need to
re-run Setup to install this converter.

1. Run Word Setup (it should automatically start in maintenance mode). Click the
  Add/Remove button.

2. Select the Converters And Filters entry (do not clear the check box) and
  click Change Option.

3. Select the Text Converters entry (again do not clear the check box) and click
  Change Option.

4. Select the Recover Text Converter check box, and click OK.

5. Click OK to exit the Converters And Filters dialog box.

6. Click Continue to proceed with the installation of the Recover Text
  converter.

  The Setup program will prompt you for the required disks as needed.

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q156577 WD97: Why You Are Unable to Recover a Lost Document

  Q87856 WDW97: Troubleshooting Damaged Documents in Word for Windows

Additional query words: corrupt crashed frozen nothing stop stopped tshoot locked hung hangs garbage trashed 8.0 8.00 howto

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Keywords          : kbtshoot kbualink97 word97 kbfaq
Technology        : kbWordSearch kbWord97 kbWord97Search kbZNotKeyword2
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbhowto

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