# "Unable to read file" when attempting to open .xls



## AppSupport (Dec 11, 2006)

When I try to open a particular excel file, I get the message "Unable to read file"
I am able to open any other .xls that I try to, but not this one.

using Excel 2003 Office Professional Edition

note - there is not a 'recovered doc' to work with. When I saved and closed it last, there was not any apparent problem.
I have tried 'open and recover'
I have tried saving as a new file
I have tried changing the name
I have tried emailing to someone else to open, but Outlook will not let me send it

Any help is greatly appreciated

thanks in advance
AppSupport


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

It sounds like it might be corrupt. Can you post the file here so that we can try it on our computers?


----------



## AppSupport (Dec 11, 2006)

thanks I will try that now


----------



## Zack Barresse (Jul 25, 2004)

I would recommend a professional data recovery software. They are generally well worth the investment.


----------



## renegade X (May 27, 2003)

Open Excel, click Help-About MS Excel-then click "Disabled Items". Is there anything in there?


----------



## AppSupport (Dec 11, 2006)

when I go to Help-About MS Excel-then click "Disabled Items". Is there anything in there? - I see "there are no disabled items"


----------



## AppSupport (Dec 11, 2006)

someone here suggested to do a scan disk - will that help?


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

Probably not. Are you able to post the file here? One question I didn't ask which might be pertinent - was the file originally sent by email? Sometimes, if you open an attachment before saving it, it will get corrupted.


----------



## Zack Barresse (Jul 25, 2004)

I still recommend not skirting around the issue and buying the commercial software needed to perform this task. It will be a headache and time saver.


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

You might be right, firefytr, but some people can't afford to buy a lot of software and I have some experience fixing Excel files so I thought I would take a shot at it if AppSupport wanted me to.


----------



## Zack Barresse (Jul 25, 2004)

Of course, yes.


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

You're right, too, though - if they're going to be working with Excel files a lot, they might be better off going ahead and buying the software themselves.


----------



## AppSupport (Dec 11, 2006)

I can't upload the file from work. I tried a couple of time yesterday, then asked some of our basis people and was informed I would not be able to 

I will have to copy it to a jump drive and try to send it from home


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

App,

Were you ever able to open that file?


----------



## WebKing27 (Dec 16, 2006)

WyldStallyyn said:


> was the file originally sent by email? Sometimes, if you open an attachment before saving it, it will get corrupted.


Oh really! I did not aware of this fact. I have always opened the files in attachment and they never get corrupted. Interesting.


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

It's like playing Russian Roulette. Most of the time you're going to be alright, but every once in a while, it's going to get ya. I've been running a help desk for 12 yrs, and I've seen it happen enough times to know that you're better off saving it first.


----------



## Zack Barresse (Jul 25, 2004)

Seconded!


----------



## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

Looks like he got it open. I had a thought while reading this though. I f I were to save a spreadsheet, accidentally, as a .dbm or something other than .xls or another common excel extension, would excel still be able to open it?


----------



## WyldStallyyn (Nov 30, 2006)

Are you saving it from inside Excel, or opening it inside another application and saving it under a different extension that way? Usually the program will warn you that you are changing the extension and that that might cause problems, but if it supports the format, and dbm does, then you won't have any problems.

I just did a test run, saving it in Excel with a dbm extension, and it worked fine.

Of course, if you save it in - say text format, then you're going to lose the formatting, but even that will import back into Excel without too much trouble.


----------



## Zack Barresse (Jul 25, 2004)

I've also had success when changing the extension then changing it back. Of course I think it really depends on what the actual source of the corruption is, which is pretty uncharted territory.


----------



## RootbeaR (Dec 9, 2006)

WyldStallyyn said:


> Are you saving it from inside Excel, or opening it inside another application and saving it under a different extension that way? Usually the program will warn you that you are changing the extension and that that might cause problems, but if it supports the format, and dbm does, then you won't have any problems.
> 
> I just did a test run, saving it in Excel with a dbm extension, and it worked fine.
> 
> Of course, if you save it in - say text format, then you're going to lose the formatting, but even that will import back into Excel without too much trouble.


Great. Thanks. I was just curious.


----------

