# "xls file format is not valid" Help a new member!



## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

My first time on techguy! I have a year old Gateway laptop PC running on XP (I think) and have Excel 2007. I have been working on the same dbase for months now and all the sudden it won't let me open it, saying ".xls file format is not valid." I've read through many threads on this site and know enough to say that: 1) My bad, I don't have it backed up 2) I've tried renaming it 3) I've tried opening it in Word and through explorer -- all to no avail. 4.) I went http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/xls-repair.html but found NO free software only to purchase. 5) I tried 
http://www.cimaware.com/main/product...FR1Bggod4mHz2Q and it costs too much. I'm a volunteer for Children's Hospital in DC and my excel database is for them. I'm trying to find out a way to fix without having to incur expenses. Many thanks in advance for you advice!


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## turbodante (Dec 19, 2008)

In your Explorer window, can you see the file extension of your files? If you can then I suspect that you may have renamed the file extension- my suggestion would be to try changing the extension to 
.xlsx
And see if it opens.
Welcome to the forum btw.


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Thank you for responding. I did try to open it through Explorer and even if I changed the suffix to .xlxs (and NOT .xls, it gave error message ".xls.xlxs file format not valid." I do appreciate your help though!


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Would you be able to attach a copy of the file. Then perhaps one of us would be able to get the file opened. Once we are able to get the file opened, we could re-attach to see if you are able to open the file.


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Try this....

1. Open "My Documents"
2. Click "Tools" -> "Folder Options"
3. Click the "View" tab
4. Uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types"
5. Click "Apply" -> Click "OK"



> it gave error message ".xls.xlxs file format not valid."


Now, right-click the Excel file, and take out the ".xls". The name of your Excel file should now look like this _ExcelFileName.xlsx._


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Thank you Computerman 4962! Bless you for offering to help. Now I just have to figure out how to attach the file and send it to you! I'm new in this this blogging arena. The information is not at all sensative. Just addresses for a Children's Hospital fundraiser


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Have you tried the steps in post #6?


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes I did to no avail. I think I have (not 100% sure) attached the file called vintage.xls If you can fix it, I promise to back up (I have swapdrive service that i don't use) always!!


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## turbodante (Dec 19, 2008)

> it gave error message ".xls.xlxs file format not valid."


Did you manage to anagram the suffix as you called it, the extension should be .xl*sx *not .xlxs


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

I do not see an attached file.


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Ooops. Just in case I messed up, I redid and it still wont open. Box comes up "vintage.xlsx: File format is not valid" Thanks for catching it though.


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Try this...

1. Open Excel Application (*Not Your File*)
2. File -> Open -> Select Your File
3. There is an Open button bottom right corner. *Do not click open*. Select the small arrow to the right of the open button.
4. Click "Open and Repair"


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

I'm in the advanced reply field and there is an icon (paperclip of course) so I'm attaching it that way. It was uploaded and said in the pop up window "manage attachments" it was the current attachment. 

Hopefully this works! And, if I can't figure this out, I want you to know that you can log out and not respond to me. I don't want to waste your time and I feel like I'm being high maintenance!


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Was this always an Excel file?


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

How much data is suppose to be in the file?


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

computerman29642 said:


> Try this...
> 
> 1. Open Excel Application (*Not Your File*)
> 2. File -> Open -> Select Your File
> ...


Tried it two ways...open and repair -- one, repair & two, extract data. The Repair version was mumble jumble code (I selected a tab delimited file) and when I tried again, the extra data version gave me "file is corrupt" -- I think we've tried just about everything, huh?


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes it has always been an excel file-- but I did try to open that file using word and explorer -- don't know if that makes a difference!


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Was the file opened in anything other than Excel? When I change the file extension to .doc (Word), I can open the file. However, there is nothing there but headers.


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## computerman29642 (Dec 4, 2007)

Look inthe following folder to see if there is a backup of the file here:

C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Yes, I tried the same thing. That's weird because I had 3 worksheets within the database with lots of info. Really, thank you for you help. I'm now resigned to knowing my file is gone. Not happy, but I can deal!


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Tried that. No luck. I am signing off (I have to be at my son's school) but wanted to THANK YOU so much for taking your time to help me out!! My best to you!!!


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## turbodante (Dec 19, 2008)

I changed the extension to .zip and openned only header files also.


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## blairdodd (Feb 19, 2009)

Thank you Turodante! I am going to call it a day and try to recreate the d'base as best as I can. I don't know the protocal for this site, is it best mark it as solved??? Please advise and again, I really appreciate your help! Cheerio!


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## turbodante (Dec 19, 2008)

Yep, marked thread 'solved' and remember to make backups of your files


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## pipefitter1 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hi If you change the file extension to doc or docx the file opens as a word document, but there are only eleven boxes containing headers and eleven boxes which are blank. I do not know how much information you put into this document, but if there was more then it has been lost in changing the file extension from a word document to an excel document. Hope this helps.


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