A Microsoft Excel workbook can get corrupted due to a wide variety of reasons: unexpected shutdown, virus attack, application crash, network error, and more. One of the recommended methods to repair such damaged workbooks is to save them in a different format. It filters the corrupted file for corruption and gives you an error free file. Since it leads to data loss and especially this method is not feasible in all cases of MS Excel file corruption, you can also use Excel repair tools that offer safe file repair.
Microsoft provides a unique file format called SYLK (symbolic link) for exchanging data between applications like Microsoft Excel. SYLK files are saved with the .slk extension on the hard drive. You can export data from a spreadsheet, created with Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or Microsoft Excel 2002 Standard Edition, in SYLK format and repair the damaged file. Such files can only contain displayable ANSI characters, placing few restrictions on the file:
. If the Excel file is in Unicode format (in Excel 2007), a SYLK file will still be encoded in the ANSI code page.
. Characters that can be displayed in Unicode will be converted to a question mark
However, you can repair damaged Excel workbook by filtering with SYLK format. But to do it, make sure you can open the damaged file in Excel:
. Open the damaged Excel file and click File->Save As
. Then you need to click SYLK (Symbolic Link) in the Save as type list and click Save
. She then receives a message informing her that she has selected a file that does not support workbooks containing multiple sheets. Click OK on this message
. After this, you get another message that the Excel file contains several functions that are not supported by the SYLK format. Click Yes on this message
. You must first click Close and then Open on the File menu
. You need to select the created SYLK file and click Open
. Click Save As on the File menu again and save as Microsoft Excel Workbook
If the above steps fail to repair damaged Excel workbook or you are unable to open damaged Excel file, then using Excel file repair tools can give you effective results. Excel repair software are powerful utilities designed to scan a damaged Excel file and restore it safely.
Stellar Phoenix Excel Recovery is a comprehensive Excel file repair application to repair damaged Excel files. Supports repair of files created with Excel 2007, 2003, 2002 and 2000. Restores all file objects such as formulas, text strings, tables, functions, charts, hyperlinks, etc. It is compatible with Windows Vista, XP, 2003, 2000 and NT.
