Calling all computer nerds.... - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

Julz518 · #1 12-06-2007, 05:47 PM

I NEED YOUR HELP!

I have a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet that I have been saving all of my wedding info on.... mainly the guest address list.

I tried to open it this morning, and it won't open! The error message says that the file is read-only or that the server it is stored on is read-only. Well, it's stored on my flash drive, and I can open other documents from there... but the file also isn't read only.

I'm guessing it somehow got corrupted... the last time I used it was yesterday.

Does anyone know how I can fix it/get it back?

feb-bride · #2 12-06-2007, 05:58 PM

If you're willing to email it to me, I can see if I can fix it and send it back. Let me know.

Julz518 · #3 12-06-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feb-bride

If you're willing to email it to me, I can see if I can fix it and send it back. Let me know.

I'm willing to email it to you, but I don't think I can. I have tried copying and pasting the file to my C drive, dragging and dropping, etc. and I can't do anything with the file... so I don't know if it will attach or not.

But PM me your email address and I'll give it a try!
Thank you so much!

ETA: I tried emailing it, but the file wouldn't attach... it just kind of "froze" on me, I didn't get any error message or anything...

SerendipityCrafts · #4 12-06-2007, 06:37 PM

I get that read only message when the file is already open. Do you network with another computer? Could someone else be looking at it?

Julz518 · #5 12-06-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SerendipityCrafts

I get that read only message when the file is already open. Do you network with another computer? Could someone else be looking at it?

Gee, I hope not! This appears to be a different "read-only" message... as I don't get the three options (i.e. open read-only copy, notify when the other copy is closed, etc.)...

Yelycrazygirl · #6 12-06-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SerendipityCrafts

I get that read only message when the file is already open. Do you network with another computer? Could someone else be looking at it?

Where did you try to open the file, in a different machine or the same one?

Julz518 · #7 12-06-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yelycrazygirl

Where did you try to open the file, in a different machine or the same one?

The file is on my flash drive. I opened it from my flash drive on THIS computer yesterday, and I am attempting to open it (from my flash drive) on the SAME computer today....

hmmm... but I do think I used the other USB port yesterday, could that make a difference?

ETA: tried changeing ports... it didn't work.

SerendipityCrafts · #8 12-06-2007, 07:22 PM

Me? I would open it in read only .... and then try this - click on edit, select all, open up a new blank exel document, then paste and save with a new name.

Julz518 · #9 12-06-2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SerendipityCrafts

Me? I would open it in read only .... and then try this - click on edit, select all, open up a new blank exel document, then paste and save with a new name.

That not an option... there ARE no options! That's just it... I can't open the file AT ALL, i just get an error message saying:

"WeddingChecklist.xls cannot be accessed. The file may be read-only, or you may be trying to access a read-only location. Or, the server the document is stored on may not be responding."

That's it. That's all is says, there is no option to open it as read-only...

When I tried to copy the file to another location, it told me it couldn't b/c the file was corrupted... so how do you fix a corrupted file??

Heather · #10 12-06-2007, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julz518

so how do you fix a corrupted file??

Open Excel. Click File - Open.

Navigate to the file you want to open and click once.

To the right of the dialog box should be the Open button with a drop down arrow. Click Open and Repair...

Julz518 · #11 12-06-2007, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

Open Excel. Click File - Open.

Navigate to the file you want to open and click once.

To the right of the dialog box should be the Open button with a drop down arrow. Click Open and Repair...

Nope, didn't work. I tried all the different options under repair... and I keep getting the same error message I've been getting all along.

I also tried downloading a trial "file recovery" program, which didn't work either... it said the value of my file was "0", which sounds like it got wiped out somehow. I jsut don't get how every other file on my flash is fine, except the one I need!

Oh well, at least my STDs are all out already... so I have a few months to re-compile my list.

Thanks for all your help guys!

feb-bride · #12 12-06-2007, 08:56 PM

That sucks. The same thing happened to me when I was planning my wedding. I was using a wedding planning software package, and my entire file ended up corrupting (don't know how it happened). I lost everything - guest list, budget, you name it.

justnmary · #13 12-06-2007, 09:01 PM

Oh heck, I can answer this one....it's right under your nose everyone.

It's called a sledgehammer.....

sparklesweetie · #14 12-06-2007, 09:16 PM

@ Mary.

I feel your pain tho - my hard drive crashed the week before my wedding. It was the only pure moment of panic I remember having, lol. Thankfully, I have a geeky friend who gave me a new drive and copied everything to it.

However, I am not really much help to your current situation. I don't suppose you have another copy saved somewhere?

Marksbride · #15 12-06-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justnmary

Oh heck, I can answer this one....it's right under your nose everyone.

It's called a sledgehammer.....

Becka01 · #16 12-06-2007, 10:53 PM

I know its not good to be thankful for another's misfortune, BUT- after reading this I'm going to send copies of all my wedding related files, etc to my work computer. I was reading this thinking, if it happened to me four weeks away from the wedding, I would be soooo screwed!

Becka01 · #17 12-06-2007, 10:54 PM

And I love the sledgehammer idea! Who on this board hasn't at least thought about it a time or two?

Edit: spelling errors!

Julz518 · #18 12-07-2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparklesweetie

However, I am not really much help to your current situation. I don't suppose you have another copy saved somewhere?

I don't... the kicker is that I did have a copy until about two weeks ago when I decided to "delete" any outdated copies from my hard drive. At this point even an outdated copy would be welcome.

However, I did remember last night that I have the STD envelope list, which has most of the addresses (just not the ones I added this week). It's a different format, but at least I don't have to track them all down again.

As for the sledge hammer idea... yeah, I've tried that before too... it doesn't work, but it relieves a LOT of stress!... at least until you realize the laptop you threw across the room was your lifeline, will never work again and is really expensive to replace.

I still don't have a new one, and that was 2 years ago...

Sapphire · #19 12-07-2007, 09:17 PM

I don't know if this is something you might've tried...

Reboot the computer or run system restore. Could be a virusy type thing goofing with your program/files.

Drag teh file to your desktop from the usb.

try rebooting into safe mode on yoru computer and try opening it.

Right click on the file and go to Properties, see if it's checked as 'read only' and if so, uncheck it.

IF you have Winzip (its' a free software) installed, zip the file, and I could work on it for you if you'd like. Zip files pretty much contain the actual file in like a case usually used for compressing data so it can be emailed.

OR, if you'd like, I can remote into your computer and see what I can find for you. I work in IT so I have a few tools outside the normal toolbox.

...unless, of course, you've given up. =\

Julz518 · #20 12-10-2007, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapphire

I don't know if this is something you might've tried...

Reboot the computer or run system restore. Could be a virusy type thing goofing with your program/files.

Drag teh file to your desktop from the usb.

try rebooting into safe mode on yoru computer and try opening it.

Right click on the file and go to Properties, see if it's checked as 'read only' and if so, uncheck it.

IF you have Winzip (its' a free software) installed, zip the file, and I could work on it for you if you'd like. Zip files pretty much contain the actual file in like a case usually used for compressing data so it can be emailed.

OR, if you'd like, I can remote into your computer and see what I can find for you. I work in IT so I have a few tools outside the normal toolbox.

...unless, of course, you've given up. =\

I tried most of that... I ran restore and it gave me the same error, I checked, and it's isn't marked as "read only", I don't know how to reboot in "safe" mode, and I CAN'T drag the file anywhere, or attache, zip, or anything similar. It's like the file doesn't exist...

so yeah, I gave up. Since I realized I have the addresses somewhere, I'm not as concerned about it. I just have to set aside the time to move them all back into an excel file.