Using Microsoft Office Word 2007 And 6 Months Work Vanished Into The Ether.

[Bulbarra]

I've only used Microsoft 2007 since my brother-in-law downloaded it for me, saving the astronomical cost of buying 2010. I've been very happy with it, but a disaster struck on Monday afternoon when I was editing the book which I've been writing since beginning of the year. I had already completed over 32,000, and was reading through my last paragraph and decided to delete a word I didn't think suitable, and the whole of my document simply disappeared. I hoped it had gone to my trash bin, but nothing there. Obviously I will have to start all over again. So can anyone out there tell me what could have gone wrong, or what mistake I must have made?

Many thanks for your help

[VHG]

What went wrong is that you did not make a backup !!!!

ALWAYS make a backup (spare copy) of important files. This can be as simple of saving the document in another folder with a different name. Put 001 on the end, then 002 then 003 etc.

For a long document you are writing save a copy every hour or so then you always have the latest copy.

Your documents may still be on the computer somewhere.

See if any of this helps you

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827099

[jennyjoan]

That's awful Bulbarra - but some of the techies could probably tell you how to get it back cos I think it's possible.

[jno]

sorry, no idea what went wrong, unless perhaps you had the entire story highlighted (had you pressed control+a? that would do it) when you hit Delete.

A couple of possible tips next time your life's work vanishes:

ctrl+z undoes your last command. If you did this, your book should have reappeared.

Or, just close the document. It will ask you if you want to save the changes you've made. Click on NO. It will then save the book as it was when you last opened it.

Good luck retrieving it. It may still be around somewhere.

[ToraToraTora]

surely you back this up? You cannot trust software not to lose it. Gawd I get ratty if I lose a sentence!

[jno]

it can happen to anyone

http://triviaproofing.tumblr.com/post/51975717251/618-after-completing-his-book-on-the-french

[wolf63]

Are you sure that you don't have a copy in your documents. My Word 2010 autosaves stuff for me. I also back it all up onto Carbonite just to be on the safe side.

[jno]

yes, have you done a search for your book on the computer? Search for the title or some unusual word in it perhaps.

[Prudie]

Definitely do a search and also look in 'My recent documents'. unless something has gone catastrophically wrong Word would not delete a whole file without you getting a dialog box asking if you're sure you want to delete.