Houston, we have a problem.

[truepenny]

WordPerfect has become unstable.

As in, it crashes almost as soon as you open a file. (This would be, of course, the first person singular "you.") It has done so now four times in a row, including after a reboot. The "recovery" wizard is as useful as a screen door on a submarine, thank you very much.

I am not a happy Mole.

Comments

[ashkta.livejournal.com]

Oh no! This sounds like a case of uninstall/reinstall to me. Good luck!

[libskrat]

Also, back up files; don't even try to open a file that you don't have a copy of elsewhere, because corrupt software can corrupt files.

Good luck!

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the salutary reminder!

(WP is now behaving as if butter wouldn't melt in its mouth, but I think we'll be uninstalling/reinstalling anyway. If I can find where I put the disks.)

[gerbilicous.livejournal.com]

Have you tried using Open Office's (http://www.openoffice.org/) word processor? You might not like it as much as word perfect, but it can open your word perfect files and let you salvage the data.

Are you getting errors when word perfect crashes, or does it just load up and not work (hanging, beeping, etc.)?

If all else fails, there's always the percussive maintained approach!

Good luck!

[libskrat]

Another useful file-conversion gizmo is zamzar.com. Second the idea of having OpenOffice (or its Mac clone NeoOffice, if appropriate) around for emergencies. I've actually not bothered to buy MS Office for Buffle the new MacBook; NeoOffice is good enough for my modest purposes.

Dual systems

[(Anonymous)]

I have, over the years, had so much trouble with Microsoft and Corel WP (and come terrifingly close to missing deadlines because of it) that I've finally broken down and done dual installs of my software. That is to say, I have WP1 and WP2 so that if one crashes, I can continue to work in the other. It sounds extreme but compared to the alternative (aka. trying to recover files by smashing the hard drive against the wall) it's not horrible.

MKeaton

(And no, I haven't mailed the book yet--my royalty check didn't come on time so everything in life is a week late.)

Re: Dual systems

[selkith.livejournal.com]

I have been using Corel WP for eight years now, don't ask how old the version is, but is has been okay unless trying to interface with regular old WP. Then it has a case of serious brain farts and forgets what I was trying to make it do. Luckily the version I have does theses little autosave things that have saved my ass more than once, this is why I am in the process of backing up my files to a new computer.... :) Let's hope this works....

Ooooo me too! WP flipping out!

[muneraven.livejournal.com]

Let's blame a Microsoft update of some sort. (I blame ALL my computer problems on Microsoft updates. It makes me right 80% of the time.)

Post and tell me if reinstalling works? If it does I'll dig through my discs and try that.

BTW really enjoyed hearing you talk at Wiscon. I would have told you in person but, well, it is easier to tell you that in Livejournal. I used up every speck of my social bravery saying hello to E. Bear and had none left for any other activity. lol.

But your input on the panel about high fantasy was really fun and thanks. :-)

[eyemage.livejournal.com]

abiword is tiny and also useful.

[jandersoncoats.livejournal.com]

I thought I was the only person in the world still using WordPerfect. Apparently there is quite a cult following. Maybe we should all get matching tattoos. Or at least have a secret handshake.

I hope your WP is back up and working again soon. I've always had luck with uninstall/reinstall as well. My copy is old enough that I have to do it with ten 3.5" floppies!

[roadrunnertwice]

WordPerfect users should totally get matching tattoos. And black robes and a nice basement or two.

It's got to be a generational thing, but I swear I have never once seen WordPerfect in the wild. It's the freaking Sasquatch. (On the other hand, I used to use Lotus WordPro, which is probably more like Homo floresiensis. And that stand-alone Canon word-processing box with the blurry LCD screen and four fonts that I used in middle school may as well have been the Fair Neighbors.)

damnable mischance

[selkith.livejournal.com]

Urgh.... been there, may need to back up your files and reinstall wordperfect. I have corel wordperfect on the computer I use for writing, and it has never had that issue.... yet, i'll not say anymore, no sense in tempting fate with 405 pages of a current project on it, and all of my other writing on there too.