Help! Evil Clippy killed my file : Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

Dec. 7, 2008 1:14 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

I'm in trouble- I need Microsoft Word 2003 help.

I was working on an important new document that had not yet been saved. That evil AniBot Clippy pops up and deletes my file.

Where do deleted Word files go that have never been saved? It's not in the recycle bin, and I can't seem to find it through any recovery process.

Are there recovery files? Is there an intermediate place works in progress go before they are extinguished to electronic never never land?

While draggy that evil little Clippy critter behind my truck might give me a great deal of personal satisfaction, I don't think it will find my file.

Any help? Am I screwed?

Thanks.

Grrrrrrrrr.
Dec. 7, 2008 1:56 p.m. Black Stig Reader

recovery and temp files are usually saved through the document in regular intervals, depending on how you set it within your Word options.

They're usually hidden so make sure in your folder options you have "Show Hidden Files" selected. They'll also have some weird name that relates to your document so if its

"History Report.doc" the temp/recovery file usually looks like "~1Hist.doc" and it'll be hidden. Unsaved recovery files usually looks like "00000011110.sav.doc" or something along those lines. Just an example.

I would run a search on your hard drive for all doc files by selecting "Search all Files and Folders" and then entering the search term *.doc (that's asterisk dot DOC)

Before clicking search, make sure you go under Advanced Options and select "Search Hidden and System Files" then search. If it's autosaved, it'll find it.

Sidebar, make sure you update your antivirus and antispyware, I run AVG Pro and Microsoft Windows defender on my PC. My Mac . . .well . . .we won't get into that, I don't want to start a Mac v PC war.

Let us know what else you need ^_^

-Dave
Dec. 7, 2008 2:26 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

That didn't do it.

Thanks for trying.

I guess I'm starting over...

...after I go break something.
Dec. 7, 2008 3:04 p.m. Rangeball New Reader

Was it something you downloaded and then worked on?
Dec. 7, 2008 4:33 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

No, it was a brand new file.
Dec. 7, 2008 6:04 p.m. fiat22turbo SuperDork

Bummer.

this is why I like Office 07 or Google Docs, both autosave by default.
Dec. 8, 2008 9:06 a.m. GameboyRMH SuperDork

Or better yet, Openoffice.org