WD: Unable to Recover Lost Document

Last reviewed: February 18, 1998
Article ID: Q156577
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

Word may be unable to automatically recover your document after Word shut down unexpectedly.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when any of the following conditions are true:

  • An AutoRecover file has not been created yet.

    By default, an AutoRecover file will not be saved until after 10 minutes into the documents use. After 10 minutes, the AutoRecover file is created and if a failure shuts down Word prematurely, then Word will use the AutoRecover file to recover the document.

    -or-

  • An AutoRecover file is deleted after the document has been saved.

    A new AutoRecover file is not created until after the next AutoRecover duration (by default: 10 minutes into a document's use).

    -or-

  • The document was closed and changes were not saved.

    Once a document has been closed, the AutoRecover file is deleted. There is no way to recover the document once the file has been closed and changes were not saved.

WORKAROUND

To change the AutoRecover Save duration, follow these steps:

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options (Preferences on the Macintosh), and then click the Save tab.

  2. In the "Save AutoRecover Info Every" box, change the number to the desired time interval between AutoRecover saves, and click OK.

NOTE: AutoRecover is not a substitute for saving your document. When you use AutoRecover, Word creates a temporary file to recover your document if Word shuts down unexpectedly. You must still save your document in order to retain your changes.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q156573
   TITLE     : WD97: How to Recover Text from Any File

   ARTICLE-ID: Q180871
   TITLE     : WD98: How to Recover Text from Any File


Additional query words: crashed hung locked corrupt frozen tshoot
Keywords : word8 word97 macword98 kbualink97
Version : 97 98
Platform : WINDOWS|MACINTOS


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Last reviewed: February 18, 1998
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