PC help needed. Saving to and retrieving from memory stick

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Nihal

Veteran
Notepad should work with notepad files.Can you post the extension at the end of your file?Should be something like .doc,.txt,.XML.
 

annedonnelly

Girl from the North Country
Location
Canonbie
It's possible that during the copying the extension at the end has been changed accidentally. If .doc was changed to .txt then Notepad will be trying to open a file that was created in Word. The default nowadays is for Windows to hide the extensions so most users don't know anything about them (and understand even less).

If you think the file was created in Word then change the extension back to .doc and try again.
 
OP
OP
PedalCat

PedalCat

I like sandwiches
Notepad should work with notepad files.Can you post the extension at the end of your file?Should be something like .doc,.txt,.XML.
This may seem dim, but how do I find that? I've right-clicked and then clicked 'properties' but nothing.
 
Your computer may be hiding the file extension. You need to find your windiws folders view properties and remove the tick in the 'hide file extensions of known file types'. Google to find this if unsure.

Now, your file shoukd show the full name, possible yourfile.txt. Change the txt part to each of the following in turn: .doc .docx .pdf .rtf. After each one, double click the file and it will try an open it in its native program. Hopefully one will be successful. Post back if any mire help needed.
 

Kies

Guest
One of those threads where 5 mins on the OP's PC would solve the issue quickly, but trying to explain it on a forum requires the patience of a saint :banghead:

1. Find the file extension (.doc .docx .txt)
2. If MS Word and notepad won't open them, then highly likely you have corruption
3. Save originals and try changing extensions to .txt , then try notepad again
4. Save the documents again from original source to a known good working USB stick, paying particular attention to the program and version of the original software. If a later version of word then don't accept the default , instead save as .doc file so older versions of word are able to open the document, all be it with some small differences in formatting.
 

Nihal

Veteran
This may seem dim, but how do I find that? I've right-clicked and then clicked 'properties' but nothing.
It should be something like "filename.doc" or "filename.txt".Whatever comes after you file's name,is the extension.
Post whatever comes after your filename:smile:

If the computer is hiding the extensions though,you haven't told us which version of Windows you have so just follow this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/865219
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Have you tried printing anything with XPS printer.
Doesn't always require the document to be opened. See @Nihals post with regards windows version.
 

Nihal

Veteran
What would notepad++ show for a normal .text or .doc file?
 

classic33

Leg End Member
But the text of the document would/should be available further down than the gibberish at the top.
Copy, paste & save as a new document.
There is the possibility of using Internet Explorer to open them as well. Further copying & pasting, if it opens them.
 

Octet

Veteran
But the text of the document would/should be available further down than the gibberish at the top.
Copy, paste & save as a new document.
There is the possibility of using Internet Explorer to open them as well. Further copying & pasting, if it opens them.

You won't see the contents of a Microsoft Word document in Notepad, the only way is to either open it up on an application that can read the encoding or unzipping it (which is what the PK is, stating it is an archive which will contain things like the assets and XML files).
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Just opened a word document in notepad & the contents are there to be seen.
Formatting has been lost & [] has replaced/marks the spacing between paragraphs, but I can do a rescue from there if needed.
 

Nihal

Veteran
If nothing works, we can ask him to try notepad++,although my bet is that its a PDF file,which if opened by either notepad or word,would give such results
 
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