Exel not reading file anymore

[TraGreg]

I have Excel (MS Office 95) and have been using it for years with no problem. The other day I had to use my recovery disk to fix some problems so I backed up all my files. Once fixed, I loaded the files back into my harddrive and now when I click on an excel file I created before, I get an error message that reads.."file format is not valid". What is happening and how can I fix it?

Thanks!

[AnnMarie]

Hi TraGreg - a couple of questions.

Are these standard .xls files that you are trying to open? Although I think that you have answered this question, I want to clarify they were created in the same version of Excel that you are using to try and open them now?

Can you create new files and open those in Excel? If so, its possible that there may have been some file corruption when you backed them up.

See if this (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;142117) article helps you. Also, depending on how important these files are to you, ExcelFix can be downloaded from here (http://www.excelfix.com/index.shtml) but its not cheap. You may like to try the free demo download first.

[TraGreg]

Thanks for responding. Yes, I created them with the same version (same disk even) of Excel and yes, it's a regular .xls file. Looks like you may be right that they got corrupt somehow. Not worth paying to fix it, can retype that document. Thanks for your help!

[AnnMarie]

You are very welcome TraGreg. Before you go to all the trouble of recreating the file, try the excel recovery macro in the Microsoft link that I posted (the first link). It just might work and it sounds as though you have nothing to lose.

[TraGreg]

I just wanted to follow up with you in regards to my Office problem. I forgot we had Office 2000 and that is what I created my files with. I reinstalled Office 95, therefore, it wouldn't read the files. DUH?!? Thanks for your help!

[Dashwood95]

Good to know you figured it out!

[AnnMarie]

Yep and thank you for letting us know what the problem was TraGreg :)