Forum Discussion
Excel file error
The error message "file error: data may have been lost" in Excel usually indicates that the file has become corrupted. Given the history and size of your file, there are several steps you can take to try to recover the data. Here are some potential solutions:
Method 1: Open and Repair
Excel has a built-in feature to attempt to repair corrupted files.
- Open Excel (do not open the file directly).
- Go to File > Open.
- Navigate to the corrupted file.
- Click the arrow next to the Open button, and select Open and Repair....
- Choose Repair to recover as much of the workbook data as possible.
Method 2: Open in Word or WordPad
Sometimes, opening the file in Word or WordPad can help recover text data.
- Open Microsoft Word or WordPad.
- Go to File > Open.
- Change the file type to All Files (*.*).
- Select the Excel file and open it.
- This might allow you to view and copy any text data that is still readable.
Method 3: Use a Backup Copy
If you have been regularly backing up your files, try opening the most recent backup copy. This can save you a lot of time compared to trying to repair a corrupted file.
Method 4: Use Excel Viewer or Third-Party Tools
Excel Viewer: Microsoft offers a free Excel Viewer that can sometimes open files that are corrupted. Third-Party Recovery Tools: There are several third-party tools designed to recover data from corrupted Excel files. Some popular options include:
- Stellar Phoenix Excel Repair: Specializes in repairing corrupted Excel files.
- Recovery Toolbox for Excel: Another tool for recovering Excel files.
Method 5: Copy Data to a New Workbook
If you can open the file but see errors or missing data, you can try copying the data to a new workbook.
- Open the corrupted file (if it opens at all).
- Select the data you want to copy.
- Open a new Excel workbook.
- Paste the copied data into the new workbook.
- Save the new workbook in a newer Excel format (e.g., .xlsx).
Method 6: Use an Older Version of Excel
Sometimes, opening the file in an older version of Excel can help. Since your file was saved in Excel 97-2003 format, try opening it in an older version of Excel (e.g., Excel 2003).
Method 7: Check for External Links
If the file contains links to other workbooks, make sure that the linked workbooks are not causing the issue.
- Open Excel.
- Go to Data > Edit Links.
- Check for broken links and update or remove them.
Preventing Future Issues
- Regular Backups: Always keep regular backups of important files.
- Avoid Multiple Versions: Try to avoid saving and resaving files in different Excel versions.
- File Size Management: Consider splitting large files into smaller ones to prevent corruption.
By following these methods, you should be able to recover at least some of your data from the corrupted Excel file. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
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This will help all forum participants.
thank you a lot for providing wide methods as they are usual methods and common, but I tried all these methods previously as I have to share my problem to your community.
Please help me with a special solution to my file, because all previous methods didn't give me anything.
My file has a lot of comments, but they appear, but cell with text values only don't appear, give me #VALUE!Additional possible sources of error:
From repeatedly saving an Excel file in different formats or from converting it between formats, such as .xlsx (Excel Workbook) to .xls (Excel 97-2003 Workbook) can arise the problem too.
As example, the file size limit for .xls is 65,536 rows by 256 columns, while .xlsx supports up to 1,048,576 rows by 16,384 columns. If the data exceeds these limits, it can result in data loss.
Excel often creates temporary files while you're working. These files might still be present on your system and can sometimes be used to recover lost data.
- Look for files with the extension .tmp in the same directory as your original file or in the system's temporary folder.
- Rename the temporary file extension from .tmp to .xls or .xlsx.
- Attempt to open the renamed file in Excel.
Maybe you could insert the file (without sensitive data) to better evaluate the recovery options.
This is where I've reached the end of my Latin comprehension.
Hope this will help you.
1- The data in my file didn't reach 65,536 rows or 256 columns.
2-There isn't any files with extension .tmp in the file location and drive.
