truepenny: artist's rendering of Sidneyia inexpectans (mfu: ik-wtf)
Sarah/Katherine ([personal profile] truepenny) wrote2007-05-29 10:17 am

Houston, we have a problem.

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.

[identity profile] ashkta.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 03:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh no! This sounds like a case of uninstall/reinstall to me. Good luck!
libskrat: (spikymace)

[personal profile] libskrat 2007-05-29 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
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!

[identity profile] gerbilicous.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 04:05 pm (UTC)(link)
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!

Dual systems

(Anonymous) 2007-05-29 04:35 pm (UTC)(link)
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.)

Ooooo me too! WP flipping out!

[identity profile] muneraven.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
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. :-)



[identity profile] eyemage.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
abiword is tiny and also useful.

[identity profile] jandersoncoats.livejournal.com 2007-05-29 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
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!

damnable mischance

[identity profile] selkith.livejournal.com 2007-05-30 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
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.