3 Different Corrupt Files

[authorlady]

So I clearly have the worst luck with technology ever. Three separate writer files have corrupted with three different messages. I don't know what happened and I'm really upset at the loss of my work(s), although I do have older backups saved but I will still be losing a lot of work and information which is very upsetting. I have no idea how to even begin fixing these files as I did a search on this forum but wasn't sure what to do with the answers I found since they didn't seem too close to my issues.

Here are the messages:

Read-Error.
Format error discovered in the file sub-document content.xml at 2,70894(row,col).
This document is the largest (113.4 KB). I managed to insert about 14 pages of the text in a new document but that leaves a lot of work that hasn't been recovered.

The second one (26.5 KB) comes up with a message trying to repair it but when I click 'Yes' it comes up with one blank page.

The third one (25.8KB) opens some strange ASCII Filter Option and then brings up about 60 pages of gibberish when I think the original document was only 20ish pages.

I don't really want to upload the files as this is a public forum and they contain personal works I don't want everybody to have access to. I swear I'm going to go back to writing with a freaking typewriter as my saved Chapters are always getting eaten for some stupid reason...

[Bill]

You may be able to restore a previously saved version if you don't have a recent backup:

Re: Computer power cut off document corrupted

[RoryOF]

If your files are being eaten by your computer then there is something wrong either with your computer or with your method of work. This is not to say that very occasional file loss cannot happen, but one should remember that in general lightning does not strike twice in the one place. I have been using OpenOffice and before that StarOffice for six years, doing heavy editing/writing on a number of writer documents with no data loss. There are some simple steps you can take to help your situation:
Don't work direct to a USB stick; if you must use a USB stick, transfer the finished file from the internal hard disk to the stick and observe proper ejection procedures.
Always close a file before walking away from a computer for any time.
Do not let your computer sleep/hibernate with an OpenOffice file open.
Close your file, then shut down the computer separately. Don't rush it, let it take the few seconds it needs; don't poke at the keyboard to try to hurry it up - it will be quicker to wait the few seconds than having to rewrite the file.
Formally shut down your computer, don't just slap the lid shut if a laptop.
Decide what your computer is: is it a tool used to write your work, or is it an entertainment machine? If the latter, go back to typewriter. I don't care that you think it ought be an entertainment machine; what matters to you, your work or watching TV/listening to audio?

With regard to your lost files: you should be able to open the files using an archive utility (winzip?). It may be necessary to rename the file as type .zip first. If the file opens with the archive utility, extract Content.xml, which will contain your unformatted content (or most of it).

[authorlady]

"With regard to your lost files: you should be able to open the files using an archive utility (winzip?). It may be necessary to rename the file as type .zip first. If the file opens with the archive utility, extract Content.xml, which will contain your unformatted content (or most of it)."

I'm really not sure what this means or how to do any of it and I'm worried about messing up my computer if I try any of the instructions I've seen online since I don't really know what I'm doing. How can I rename the file if I can't open any of them?

The documents I'm having problems with I had saved on the computer and on a USB. I tried to search for shadow copies but the computer didn't find any? I've tried opening them on my laptop and then trying on a PC and I get the same error message on the file.

[RoryOF]

Can you drive Windows Explorer to point to one of the damaged files? If so, point to it, Ctrl C to copy it, Ctrl V to paste the new copy, which will be called something like MyFileName (copy).odt. Right click on this new file in Explorer and select Rename and change the name to MyFileName (copy).zip. Now simply double click on that file and it should open in the built-in archive manager of your computer. If it doesn't (there have been some recent reports of the built-in archive manager not working correctly) you should try another manager, such as WinZip.

[authorlady]

Thank you for your answer. I'm not sure if I did it right since it wouldn't open in Explorer. What steps would I take to try and open it with WinZip?

[RoryOF]

You would firstly need to install Winzip on your computer. Then start Winzip and point to the .zip file (/ File / Open within Winzip) and it should open. If it says "Archive corrupt" then there is little hope. Your first file with the error at row, column can be handled using another method - I would wait until some other volunteer comes online who knows better how to do this.

Going off the air now - breakfast time!

[Hagar Delest]

Format error discovered in the file sub-document content.xml at 2,70894(row,col).

See: [Hint] How did I fix my ODT file.
You should be able to recover something.

[RoryOF]

Thanks, Hagar. I remembered that you knew the trick for this problem.

[Hagar Delest]

Re you PM: you've to go to the place where is the error (see error message that gives the row,col) and then track what is the problem with the XML tags.
See for example: [Solved] Gray Blocks Acting As Speed Bumps.