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Corrupt Excel File

Greetings, I have a user who was working on an Excel 2007 file from a thumbdrive.. all of a suddem the file will not open and generates the following error:

"Excel cannot open the file 'filename.xlsx' because the file format or file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file. (OK)"

I hit Ctrl-Shift-i to get the code for that error (101590)

Any ideas how to repair?

I have tried the following to no avail:

- Open and Repair tool
- Opening with OpenOffice
- http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/repairing-a-corrupted-workbook-HA010097017.aspx
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928979

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ardhendu Sarangi

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Kimmyel

Hello,

Can you please try the following:
1. Start>Run>Write "excel /A" and then try to open the document - Does it work?
2. Try to rename the file to something shorter
3. Try to rename the file to something shorter and extension to .xls
4. Start>Run>Write "excel /S" and then try to open the document - Does it work?
5. Remove everything from C:\windows\temp directory then reboot.

Regards

jimyX

Some times when Excel files become corrupted there are tools could be used for repairing and recovering the data, but not always, because Excel files can be completely damaged and no repairing tools will fix them. All depends on your file and the action that made the file corrupted. If you attach your file (if the data is not sensitive) at least it would be easily checked.

Ardhendu Sarangi

Dear Kimmyel,

Just for your information -

Regarding your point #3, I don't think renaming the file extensions is going to work as an XLSX file extension is an Open XML Format Spreadsheet file. This is different from the way Microsoft used to handle the files in the past.

Also Point #1 is asking the user to restart Excel without any add-ins. If the excel file is corrupted, disabling add-ins will have no effect on the file.

Same goes for points 2 and 4 too.

i am intrigued abt your point 5 as this is the first time I have seen this suggestion. Care to elaborate how that works?

Thanks,
Ardhendu

Justin Durrant

ASKER

I get the same error with Excel viewer, excel /A and excel /S

Ardhendu Sarangi

would you mind posting the file here?

Thanks.
Ardhendu

Justin Durrant

ASKER

can I email it to you?

Ardhendu Sarangi

u can... my email id is in my profile. Posting my email id in the forum would be a violation of the rules.

Justin Durrant

ASKER

Ok.. sending now

Ardhendu Sarangi

Hi Justin,
I received your file however it seems that this file cannot be repaired. I tried a few options from my side but nothing seemed to work.

are you sure this is an xlsx file because the contents of the file do not seem consistent with an xlsx file format?

But i am sorry to say the data looks unrecoverable at this point.

- Ardhendu

Justin Durrant

ASKER

Yeah is it an XLSX.. well according to the user it is anyway.

Ardhendu Sarangi

i am sorry i dont think the contents of this file can be recovered.

- Ardhendu

Justin Durrant

ASKER

Is there a 3rd party repair tool you recommend?

Justin Durrant

ASKER

Didn't resolve but the user tried