Cannot open 1 word doc and 1 excel doc from my memory stick

dogbert27

Hi,

last Friday everything was fine with all my files on my memory stick. There are 2 files that I use on a daily basis.
I used the word document last Friday, saved it, removed the memory stick and didn't use it all weekend.
Got into to work yesterday and the word doc would not open. Got the following message:
Word experienced an error trying to open this file. Try these suggestions:
* Check the files permissions for the document or drive (No permissions on the doc or drive)
* Make sure there is sufficient free memory and disk space (Plenty of space)
* Open the file with the text recovery converter (could not open it)

I backed this up a month ago but I have lost all this months work on it.

Then this morning first thing I tried to open the excel file that I was working on yesterday from the memory stick and it comes up with a message: Unable to read file. It then asks if I want to recover the information and when I agree another error message appears saying damage was so much that it was unable to recover information but it has made repairs with a loss of information. It shows month sheets January to August, sheets September to December are gone. However the information for August to December has been placed in months May to August!! All dates and formulae are no longer working. I don't think I have backed this up so it will mean having to re-enter all information for the whole year!

I have gone through the rest of the memory stick and I can open every other file, including the word file that I was working on yesterday. I've scanned the computer and I've scanned the memory stick and both are showing clean.

Sorry for this being so long but has anybody come across something like this before?

Kevster

There's a reason why memory sticks are so cheap: They're unreliable and contain cheap materials. The more 'write' events you do, the shorter the disk's lifespan becoms. i know you said that the other files open, but you've been writing in the same location repeatedyl, and that's messed up that part of the disk. What you should do is copy what you can from the disk, buy a reliable portable hard-disk, and then start rewriting your Word doc...

PogMoThoin

Yep, can be as little as 1000 writes. They're really a disposable item. There's not much You can do TBH

dogbert27

Cheers. Fortunately I have backed up both files on my pc at home up to september so there's not too much missing.

I really need to back up everything else now before I lose anymore.

Kevster

...dont back it up on a USB stick! Invest in a high-capacity portable hard-disk, seriously. I have all of my important things backed up on my main hard-disk, my portable (Maxtor; 500GB) hard-disk, and I occasionally back up the most important things on CD.

Kevin