Memory stik prob

[potty64]

When I try to open documents from my memory stick, they come out indecipherable. Why? & how can I get them readable?!

[HowardKennitby]

What sort of documents? MS Word files, PDF etc. What are you trying to open them with?

[potty64]

Doc file. Any help?

[Old_Geezer]

If you copy them to your hard drive first are they still indecipherable opening them from there ?

Do you have back-ups ?

Are you opening them with the same application that created them, and with the same version ?

[potty64]

It's late! BUT! I transferred my documents on to memory stik becos my PC was completley re-booted ie back to how it was when I purchased it consequently, I don't hav the original docs. What is a 'back up'? Regarding opening them with the same version, well, I can only open them with the memory stik that's now in My Documents. (!!???!!)

[Brinjal]

maybe the memory stick is corrupt it happens

[MichaelZZ]

If it's a .doc file that you are trying to open you should first of all open the program that you want to open the file with. At this stage you don't even need the memory stick in your computer.
1. Open the program (MS Word / Open Office Writer / Lotus Word Pro) that you normally use for reading and writing documents.
2. Insert your memory stick (or other storage device) on to which you downloaded the document that you want to read.
3. In your word processing program go to "Open" and then click on the drive letter where your memory stick is.
4. Scroll down to the file that you want to read, and double click on it.

This will open the file.

[Old_Geezer]

A back-up is a copy of the original file or files you have kept elsewhere on another disk or something in case the copy of the file you are working with develops problems. Making regular back-ups are standard practice for important stuff. Some applications will back up the previous version automatically but one can not rely on it doing so.

You don't open files with a memory stick, you may store them there though. You open them using an application, for example maybe Microsoft Word. I'm suggesting that whatever application you used to create the documents, you run the same one to try opening the document file.

This is not sounding good though. If you have no back-up and the original application has problems, then at best it is an expert job to salvage anything and most likely not worth the effort.

But try the obvious stuff first. Depending on what sort of document, worst comes to worse, you may even be able to open the document into a simple text editor, and search and copy any bits that look usable. But hopefully it won't come to that.

[boxtops]

I suspect that the document on the memory stick may be written in a different version to the version on the computer you're using? e.g. if I write a word document at home (Word 2007) and try to open it on my work laptop (Word 2003) it can't deal with it, it just comes out as machine code. As is said, make sure you have the right application open on your computer before you try to access the document on your stick.

[ChuckFickens]

Seeing as the OP has said they recently got the computer "re-booted ie back to how it was when I purchased it" it seems pretty obvious they simply haven't got Microsoft Office installed anymore.

So all you have to do is install office again from the original disks you installed it from the first time before having your computer re-installed.

[Old_Geezer]

That's possible. It didn't occur to me that the PC hadn't come with the OP's apps already installed. potty, maybe get a knowledable friend to check what you have installed now for you ?

[MichaelZZ]

Potty, further to your post of 4th April - and prompted by Chuck's comments a few minutes ago - did you actually splash out and buy MS Office?
If not, I share the view of other folk who replied to your original question that Open Office is a brilliant suite of programs. http://www.openoffice.org/
Why not get your nephew to download it (for free!) over the weekend while you're glued to the tennis?

[MichaelZZ]

Just in case you haven't sorted your problem of indecipherable gobbledegook when you try to open a file stored on your memory stick, I have one question the answer to which will give us all a clue as to how we can make sensible suggestions to help you.--->

Assuming that you use your computer to type letters or other documents, how exactly do you do this? In other words, what do you click on before you start typing? (OK, that's two questions but it's the same thing really!)

[MichaelZZ]

On the subject of MS Office downloads, I have recently discovered that you can download a free trial of MS Office 2010 - Home and Student. This contains Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
You can get the free 60 day trial by going to http://bit.ly/office299 and following the download instructions.
Immediately before the 60 day period is up it is possible to extend the trial for a further 30 days. You can do this 5 times thereby getting a 6 months free trial. This is genuine, as promoted in last week's WebUser magazine.

When you've done this you should be able to read all the files on your memory stick.