If your memory permits, I'd open all eight files together. Then, switch to
each file in turn and File Save As and specify the new name. (Be sure to
SAVE AS, and NOT save!) Only after all eight files have been saved with
their new names, start closing the files, answering YES when asked if you
want to save changes.
(If the files are too big that you can't open them all at once, make the
copies. Then open one of the new files, and use Edit Links in the new
files; select a file it's linked to and click Change Source. Repeat for
each file it's linked to. Save and Close. Repeat for the next new file.)
--Bruce

"Gordon" wrote:

Hi

I have 8 files all with direct links to each other they are called cg1 cg2
etc. I need to change the file names to v1, v2 etc but think this will
corrupt cell references to external lonks. Can I do this with a little pain
as possible? I don't want to renter 5000 odd formulas all over again...

Thanks in advance G