Microsoft KB Archive/63263

Recovering a Corrupted File with DOS DEBUG

PSS ID Number: Q63263 Article last modified on 11-02-1994

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MS-DOS

= SUMMARY =

The following information explains how to use DOS’s DEBUG utility, DEBUG.COM to salvage a damaged file. This method is not guaranteed to recover all information within a damaged file, but may recover enough information to be useful. If the file corruption lies in the formatting of the document, the following information may salvage the file contents.

Note: The following information may not salvage a file that was written/saved to a bad sector or cluster on a disk (floppy disk or hard disk).

= MORE INFORMATION =

DEBUG.COM needs to be in a subdirectory that is included in the DOS path or in the current directory.

Before attempting to salvage a file, make sure that a backup copy of the file exists.

  At the DOS prompt, type the following and then press ENTER debug filename.doc where “filename.doc” is the name of the corrupted document.   After the hyphen prompt, type the following and then press ENTER: e100   Type a 0 and press the SPACEBAR. Repeat the 0, SPACEBAR combination seven more times for a total of eight times. Press ENTER.   At the hyphen prompt, type “w” and press ENTER.   Type “q” and press ENTER to quit Debug. 

An ASCII/text version of the document has now been created. Start the application and load the modified file. There may be some strange characters at the top or bottom of the file. If so, delete the “garbage characters.” What should remain is the text of the file, that is, the physical characters that were typed (all formatting will need to be reapplied).

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================================================================ Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1994.