I thought it easier to answer as below hope this is Ok


"Gord Dibben" <gorddibbATshawDOTca wrote in message
...
After the re-format, did you re-install Excel?

From where are trying to open the file? COPIED TO DESKTOP ALSO TRIED
FROM DISC

If directly from disc, you may not have much success. AS ABOVE

Try copying to the HDD and then opening. HDD? WHATS THAT

Depending upon how the file got onto the disc, it could be corrupt. I
COPIED AS A BACK UP, OTHER EXCEL OPEN FROM THAT DISC

Some people have had success opening corrupt Excel files by opening with
Open
Office.

A large(65 meg) free download from.................THANKS I WILL TRY THAT

http://www.openoffice.org/


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Mon, 01 May 2006 18:31:09 GMT, "S S"
wrote:

I lost a spreadsheet when my PC crashed and I had to re format the
hardrive,
fotunately I had a back up of the file on a disc but when I try to open it
I
get the message "the file is not in a recognisable format" I have only
ever
used excel so at a loss what to try next. I have gone into the properties
of
the file and it says "Microsoft excel worksheet"

Recovery of this file would save me a few hours work so any help would be
appreciated.
thanks