[Solved] Read Error: This is not a WinWord97 File

[RuthC]

Edit: Split from [Solved] Cannot open file: not a winword 97 file since that is solved so RuthC needs her own topic

Cannot open file Apache OpenOffice 4.1.10 Windows 10. Type: Microsoft Word 97-2003 Document. When try to open document get a: Read Error. This is not a WinWord97 File.

[Zizi64]

...And what we can help you without the specific file?

I can give to you two short answers only:

- Try the LibreOffice
- Upload the file here

[RuthC]

This is an Apache OpenOffice 4.1.10 document. "Read error" appears, cannot open file: not a winword 97 file.

I cannot open this document "Prayer Daily Oct 2021" because when last closed a shadow document appeared beginning with the symbols as on the keys in the uppermost left hand corner of the keyboard that look like a "slanted dash and wavey line.Prayer Daily Oct 2021". These two did not marry up when document was closed after saving.

How do I get these two to marry up so the document will open?

[RoryOF]

You say this is an OpenOffice 4.1.10 document - I accept that you used OpenOffice to generate it. What is the file extension (the three letters after the file name)? How was this extension chosen?

Edit: If you upload the document to the Forum, someone will try to open it.

[RuthC]

Prayer Daily Oct 2021 is followed by "Microsoftword 97-2003 Document 56 KB
"slanted hyphen wavey line.Prayer Daily Oct 2021" is followed by DOC#File 1 KB

[RoryOF]

"slanted hyphen wavey line.Prayer Daily Oct 2021" is followed by DOC#File 1 KB

That is the lock file generated when OpenOffice has control of a file, to prevent editing by a second instance of OpenOffice; that small file (1 Kb according to your info) will contain nothing useful. If you upload the other file, the 56KB file, I'll take a look at it and see if I can open or recover it.

[RuthC]

How do I "upload". Do I just grab and drop in this message box?

[RoryOF]

The Upload tab is below the Submit button on FullEditor or PostReply screens, not on the QuickReply screen.

[RuthC]

Please open. "Lock" did not marry up with this document. thank you

[RoryOF]

Internal evidence tells that the file is Saved in Word 6 format, which is many years out of date.

Best to work in ODF format (.odt - OO's native format) and Save As Word 97/2000/XP (if needed) _only_ when editing is complete.

Try the attached

[RuthC]

thank you RoryOF for recovering this document. In future OO use will always use (.0dt -- OO's native format)!!!!!. Let is be known to all users!!!!

[recovermydocs]

Created this document with .doc so others could easily open it. Worked on it for weeks. The last time I added to it (tonight), saved it and tried to reopen it, got an error that said Read Error "This is not a WinWord97 file".

I would like to recover this document since it took quite a while to create. Can you recover it?
Diversity Programming

[Zizi64]

I can not open your file with my LibreOffice nor a portable Apache OpenOffice.

The available content is mined by a pure text editor of the Double Commander:

GinnyKiefer.odt

(27.18 KiB) Downloaded 92 times

[RoryOF]

The internal format of the file is strange: text is stored in 16 bit format, and there is evidence of it having been converted to .doc format at some earlier(?) stage. As far as I can ascertain Zizi64's file contains the text.

No matter what final format one requires, it is _always_ best practice to work and Save in a program's native format, in this case .odt, exporting only in another format after all changes have been made to the original file in native format.

[anschwartz]

Can anybody please read this file? It was too large to upload here, so here is the link to the file on my site:
[[[ I had the URL here, but removed it ]]]
The DOC file is in zipped format.
If anyone can read the file and convert it to ODT, that would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

[anschwartz]

NEVER MIND. I SOLVED MY PROBLEM. WHEW.
How did I solve it? I uploaded the DOC file to Google Docs. The upload went just fine. I was nervous when it paused, but then it continued. Looking at the file, there was some garbage from something I had pasted, but 99% looked OK. Then I download the file in ODT format and this was OK. If I have a problem in the future, this is what I will do. I will also try to use the ODT format whenever possible, as others have suggested.

[Zizi64]

anschwartz, my LibreOffice can open your sample file.

If you must work with .doc filesthen better to change to the LibreOffice, because it has a littlebit higher compatibility with the foreign, obsolete and never standardized file formats.

You can install a Portable version of the LO (near the AOO) for a first try.

[LastUnicorn]

There are several good reasons to switch from OpenOffice to LibreOffice, some of which are given here: [Tutorial] Considering a Switch from OpenOffice to LibreOffice? Some Useful Information

[RoryOF]

AbiWord was able to open this file and Save in .odt format.