ID: Q145390
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Word for the Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
Corrupted document files can cause any program to exhibit unusual behavior. Such behavior occurs because Word bases its operation on incorrect information in the corrupted document.
This article provides troubleshooting procedures you can use to identify, recover, or prevent corruption of Microsoft Word for the Macintosh documents.
Note that after you use the following steps to recover a document, you should save the recovered file after first ensuring that Allow Fast Saves is not selected. (To disable the Allow Fast Saves option, click Options on the Tools menu, select the Save tab, and clear the Allow Fast Saves check box.)
Corrupted documents often cause Word to exhibit unusual behaviors such as infinite repagination, incorrect document layout and formatting, unreadable characters on the screen, error messages, and a system that stops responding when you load or view the file.
Because factors other than document corruption can cause these behaviors, follow these troubleshooting steps to rule out other factors:
There are several techniques you can use to try to correct a corrupted document. Which method you use depends on the nature and severity of the corruption and the nature of the behavior exhibited. Although many of these methods succeed regularly, not every corrupted document can be recovered. Keeping a backup copy of a document is the best way to ensure its recovery.
To recover a corrupted document, try each of the following methods:
1. Convert the file to another format, and then convert it back to its
native format.
This is the easiest and most complete document recovery method; always
try it first. Save the file in Rich Text Format (RTF), in Word 5.0, this
format is called "Interchange Format/RTF") file format; this format
preserves the formatting in your Word document. After you save the file
in RTF format, reopen the document in Word, and convert it from RTF. If
this method succeeds, Word removes the file corruption during
conversion. If the corruption persists after you save the file
in RTF file format, try saving the file in the following file formats:
- Other word processing formats
- Text Only
NOTE: Saving a file in Text Only format frequently corrects the document
corruption problem; however, all document formatting is lost including
graphics and field codes in Word 6.x. This method requires more
reformatting; therefore, use it only after other file formats fail to
correct the problem.
to the nature of damaged documents) you can open a document successfully
in draft mode when it will not open in other views. Once you open the
file, you may be able to recover or repair the file.
To switch to draft mode in Word, click Normal on the View menu, then
click Options on the Tools menu. Click the View tab, and select
the Draft Font option.
document, switch to draft mode, and then reactivate screen updating.
WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU OF THE CODE PROVIDED IN THIS ARTICLE IS AT YOUR
OWN RISK. Microsoft provides this macro code "as is" without warranty of
any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the
implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular
purpose.
Sub Main
ScreenUpdating 0
FileOpen .Name = "Filename.doc" ' Substitute your file name.
ToolsOptionsView .DraftFont = 1
ScreenUpdating
End Sub
NOTE: In the above macro, substitute the name of your damaged document
for the "Filename.doc" argument text.
Using this macro may enable you to open documents that you cannot
otherwise open due to damage that affects printer setup, page layout, or
screen updates in Word. For example, if a Type Error occurs in Word
before the document is opened, you may be able to avoid the Type Error
by using the macro to open the document.
Word associates a wide variety of formatting with the last paragraph
mark, especially section and style formatting. If you copy
everything except the last paragraph mark to a new document, the
corruption may be left behind in the original document. In the new
document, reapply the section or style formatting.
NOTE: You can select everything except the last paragraph mark by
pressing COMMAND+END, then COMMAND+SHIFT+HOME.
Sometimes you can determine the location of file corruption in your
document. In such cases, copy everything except the corrupted portion
to a new file, then follow these steps to reconstruct your document:
a. After you copy the uncorrupted portions of your document to a new
file (you may not want to select the final paragraph mark of this
selection since that paragraph may hold some incorrect information),
save a copy of the corrupted document in Text Only format.
b. Open the Text Only file. Copy the text from this file and paste it
into the file that contains the uncorrupted portion of your
document.
c. Reformat the sections you pasted in step b, then save the recovered
document.
If you cannot open a file to copy all text except the final paragraph
mark, you may be able to insert the file into a new document (which will
give a new final paragraph mark to the file you are correcting). To do
this, follow these steps:
a. Create a New Document based on the Normal template.
b. On the Insert menu, click File. Select the corrupted document and
Click OK.
"Word User's Guide," version 6.0, "Converting File Formats (Definition of RTF)," pages 595-596
"Word User's Guide," version 5.0, "Opening, Saving, and Deleting Documents," pages 69-73
"Word User's Guide," version 5.0, "Converting File Formats (definition of Interchange or Rich Text Format)," page 661
"Word User's Guide," version 5.0, "File Management," pages 492-494
Additional query words: garbage locked hung stop stopped crashed frozen nothing damaged damage troubleshoot tshoot corrupt
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Version : MACINTOSH:6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a
Platform : MACINTOSHLast Reviewed: January 20, 1999