My document has been turned into pound symbols.

[ruuthiepoo]

Fanfiction.net has recommended this software, and actually give users a link to download it. I was very pleased with it.

Well, I was writing one of the chapters of my fanfiction, and my laptop overheated. When I turned it on again, I was expecting it to allow me to recover my odt document, which is what usually happens. But, instead, I receive the ASCII Filter Options. It says that the file is locked for editing by unknown user (me). Even when I try and open the Read-Only file, and try in different languages and format combinations, I can only view pound symbols instead of the letters.

I know there are several other questions in relation to this but the advice just doesn't seem to work. For example, I checked the backup files that Open Office saved. However, I found only one file, which was not the right one. Does this mean my file is completely gone? Or is there something else I need to do?

Please help.

[Hagar Delest]

Sorry, nothing to be done: 22 page term paper replaced with pound signs.

[RoryOF]

Why did your laptop overheat? Was it standing on a soft surface (bed, sofa, your lap)? Such surfaces often cover the ventilation holes, causing overheating.

[ruuthiepoo]

Sorry, nothing to be done: 22 page term paper replaced with pound signs.

I have looked at that already. Do you think that although it was an overheat, the windows memory dump may have the file?

Why did your laptop overheat? Was it standing on a soft surface (bed, sofa, your lap)? Such surfaces often cover the ventilation holes, causing overheating.

My laptop has been overheating for a long time. I've been meaning to buy a cooler or something. But, no, it was on my desk - as it is now - the half of it which overheats over the edge for ventilation. Sometimes it overheats even in this position, but it usually doesn't.

[Hagar Delest]

Do you think that although it was an overheat, the windows memory dump may have the file?

Even if there are temporary files remaining, I don't know how they can be used "manually".

[ruuthiepoo]

Oh well. I suppose that trying to recover it is more trouble than it is worth. I'll just rewrite it and be glad that I didn't write too much. To prevent this from happening again, I suppose I'll save in more than one location. Thank you for your help, Hagar and Rory.