Question

Recovering AutoSave Files

Asked by: koryluke

I was modifyng and existing document in Microsoft Word XP.  I have autosave turned on, so it is saving a recovery copy every 10 minutes.  But I never saved the changes.   I accidently closed Word and it asked me whether to save the document.  I then accidentally clicked "No" and all my work is gone, including the autosave backup.  

Is there anyway possible to recover the AutoSave after I have closed out of the document?
Using WinXP but and Word XP.

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Asked On
2004-12-10 at 13:58:32ID21238527
Tags

word

,

autosave

,

files

Topic

Microsoft Word

Participating Experts
5
Points
250
Comments
16

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Answers

 

by: SheharyaarSaahilPosted on 2004-12-10 at 14:09:33ID: 12796815

Hello koryluke =)

Open Word>Tools>Options>File Locations note down the location for AutoRecovery files folder.... then open this folder to check if the file is still there ??
if No then open C:\Doumetns and Settings\your username\Local Settings\Temp folder and check here for the file.....if its not here even then i dont think so that it can be present somewhere else on the hard drive =\

** Local Settings is a hidden folder, so enable show hidden files from explorer>tools>folder options>view section

 

by: korylukePosted on 2004-12-10 at 14:24:00ID: 12796939

Thanks for the Quick Answer :)

All hidden files are shown, and the only files in the AutoRecover location are .asd for documents currently open.  I found some .tmp files in the Local Settings\Temp folder with the date and the time around when I was working on the document, but the file name is just a bunch of numbers and letters (ie. ~DFD936.tmp). This is not even close to the name of my document.  What is a .tmp file and how do I check and see if these .tmp files are related to the document I was working on?

Thanks for working with me, despite my limited techinical knowledge.

 

by: SheharyaarSaahilPosted on 2004-12-10 at 14:27:14ID: 12796953

the msword temp files should have the Word file icon...otherwise they dont belong too word =\
and .tmp files are just temporary files which are created only for a temporary during an operation or task and get deleted at regular intervals by the system!

 

by: korylukePosted on 2004-12-10 at 14:33:35ID: 12796996

One of the files does have a word logo but it is only 1KB and when I open it, it is just a bunch of garble.  Is there a special way I should open it? (file name:~WRD0882)

 

by: SheharyaarSaahilPosted on 2004-12-10 at 14:38:32ID: 12797035

you try this, search your hard drive for .asd file extension and check what files are present and where.... im afraid that you have lost the file already... but let's give a last try =\

 

by: vknowlesPosted on 2004-12-10 at 18:53:15ID: 12798102

As I mentioned in another question, Word always _deletes_ the .asd files after closing.  And, unfortunately, they are not in the Recycle Bin (although it would make great sense for Micro$oft to put them there)!

Anyway, if you want to recover the .asd file after it has been deleted, then you will need a third-party undelete tool, such as Norton Utilities.  And you will want to perform the undelete as soon as possible, before the space on the drive is re-used for other files.

That method will work all or most of the time (depending on how much time has passed since the .asd was deleted).

If the autorecover file folder is on a network drive, your network may have a way to recover deleted files.  In Windows Explorer, right-click on the folder and see if there is a selection to recover files.

I don't think there is another method.

Good luck.

 

by: amirinamdarPosted on 2004-12-12 at 05:00:53ID: 12803708

Try this, it helps:
www.dposoft.net [DOC Regenerator].
You can use the trial to preview recovered files.
Good Luck!

 

by: JOrzechPosted on 2004-12-12 at 09:37:33ID: 12804409

If you're not using Word XP, I would suggest you search for a .wbk extension.

 

by: vknowlesPosted on 2004-12-13 at 05:14:31ID: 12808766

Unfortunately, Joanne, the .wbk file doesn't contain any of the hours of work our poster put in before closing Word.  That's what we're wishing we had...

:-(

 

by: vknowlesPosted on 2004-12-13 at 05:58:09ID: 12809139

I was just reviewing the WinXP help and wondering if anyone knows how to make the RECOVER command work on the C: drive.  It looks like it would do what we need, but you'd have to reboot in DOS mode in order to use it, I think.

 

by: vknowlesPosted on 2005-01-10 at 05:29:32ID: 13002545

Honestly, I don't think there is any solution other than what amirinamdar and I suggested (he and I both mentioned specific products that could recover a deleted .asd file).

 

by: naunidhPosted on 2005-01-20 at 03:44:02ID: 13091927

Try opening the temp files in text (notepad or wordpad).
You should get most of the text data back. There might be few other etmp files around the same time starting with ~W, some of these would be the data you copied on clipboard. View them in notepad and see if you can get something.

As for images and other binary data I dont know of any method that can  retrieve them from tmp files.

 

by: JOrzechPosted on 2005-01-21 at 16:01:21ID: 13108171

Sorry we couldn't be of more help vknowles.  I've had some good luck recovering files on a network, but a hard drive is a bit different.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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