Lost an Important Temp File

jazabelle

esuhl wrote: »

When I lose a file like that, the first thing I do is run a search of ALL files on the system, then sort by last modified date. If you're quick the most recently modified file is often the document you "lost" (although you might need to rename a .tmp file to .doc -- I can't remember).

It might be worth doing a search like that to see if you can identify anything... Windows 7's search feature is horrible compared to XP's -- I think you might need to specifically tell it to search all locations, rather than just in indexed directories.

There are no tmp files coming up for files modified yesterday, nothing except a couple of other files saved that day. Thanks though.

Figment

I just opened a .doc file from an email. It opened as a Read Only file in Office 2003, and the file went into the folder c:\Users\[name]\AppData\Local\Temp\ . I then tried editing it and clicked on Save. This threw up an error that the file was Read Only. I could only save it by renaming the file.

Dave_C_2

Some tips:

• The default save folders for Word 2003 are listed under
  Word > tools> options > File locations tab
• Look in those places for temporary files
  As well as the obvious *.tmp, look for files beginning with ~ and ending in .doc. .dot and .wbk.
• If you use Word > open look in the Most Recently Used list. You may not have this set. See tools > options >general Most recently used file list:

Dave

esuhl

I just found this on a MS forum page:

It all depends on what happened to the E-mail
that you had opened in order to open the attachment. If you closed
it *after* you closed Word the attachment file would have been
deleted. If you had closed it while Word still had the document open
there is a chance you could find it in your TIF. Note that Explorer will
not search the TIF; so if it is there to find it you will have to use some
other technique such as navigating to that directory in a command prompt
(aka cmd window) and doing a dir/a/s *.docx for it

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-networking/how-to-retrieve-a-saved-file-which-was-opened-from/8328296d-b2e4-4439-89f5-8d37dbe11ba6

I assume TIF refers to the Temporary Internet Files folder, so might be worth having a look there...

jazabelle

Figment wrote: »

I just opened a .doc file from an email. It opened as a Read Only file in Office 2003, and the file went into the folder c:\Users\[name]\AppData\Local\Temp\ . I then tried editing it and clicked on Save. This threw up an error that the file was Read Only. I could only save it by renaming the file.

It didn't open at Read Only last night, and it let me save it without renaming it/moving it - which is why I had no idea it was in a temporary folder.

I have searched the appdata/local/temp folder which no luck - which is where it had saved I believe, so I think it must have got written over or something?

Cockney_Rebel

jazabelle wrote: »

I used Open Office on my computer to make some notes - which I then emailed to my mum. (saved as a doc file.) She opened it on her computer, using Word 2003 by clicking 'open'. The changes were made them, and regularly saved - including at the end. However, until I closed it - I hadn't realised that the open button had been used, meaning it went into a temporary folder, rather than a safe location.

I am sorry, but I still do not understand where the 'lost' file was when it was lost. See above, you say your mum opened the file, but then go on to say that you closed the file...so, were you then with your mum using her pc - or, is the lost file on your pc?

jazabelle

Dave_C wrote: »

Some tips:

• The default save folders for Word 2003 are listed under
  Word > tools> options > File locations tab
• Look in those places for temporary files
  As well as the obvious *.tmp, look for files beginning with ~ and ending in .doc. .dot and .wbk.
• If you use Word > open look in the Most Recently Used list. You may not have this set. See tools > options >general Most recently used file list:

Dave

Thank you. I had done searches for all of those now - some I'd done, a couple I've just done now.

The default save location is the desktop, but I'm not sure it would have defaulted to here when opened via an email. Either way, it's not on the desktop.

I guess I'm going to have to face facts it's gone. Thanks for the suggestions everyone though, it is appreciated.

jazabelle

Cockney_Rebel wrote: »

I am sorry, but I still do not understand where the 'lost' file was when it was lost. See above, you say your mum opened the file, but then go on to say that you closed the file...so, were you then with your mum using her pc - or, is the lost file on your pc?

I was with my mum on her laptop - we were working on the document together. She opened it, but then we were taking it turns to type. So it was on her laptop, and I happened to be the one to save and close it at the end - by doing control s. Had a done a save as, things would have been different.

spannerzone

I think I know what you've done as this happened on my old work computer (Windows XP with Outlook 2003) - I don't have it now so going from memory...

If I opened a word attachment it would offer open or save, if I opened the doc directly via Outlook then viewed it, it displayed in a word viewer mode (screwed up the document layout) so if you existed the viewer it then put the word doc into a regular word program allowing edits. Now, I think outlook held this file and named it something like OLK5256 (or some other odd naming that was random)

This page of info might help you locate the hidden place that Outlook might have put the file:
http://www.howto-outlook.com/faq/securetemp.htm

The registry shows the location of your folder (note the registry is a place you can mess up the PC badly if you're not careful, not recommended unless TOTALLY happy with the registry)

DON'T USE THE CLEANER TOOL MENTIONED ON THAT PAGE

I hope this might assist!

Fifer

If you open the attachment on the email you sent to your mother (on her machine), is it still the early version?