Microsoft KB Archive/826916

= Description of the AutoRecover feature in Excel 2003 =

PSS ID Number: 826916

Article Last Modified on 8/27/2004

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Office Excel 2003

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For a Microsoft Excel 2002 version of this article, see 289273.



IMPORTANT : This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry



SUMMARY
Excel 2003 has a built-in AutoRecover feature that has replaced the AutoSave add-in that exists in versions of Excel earlier than Excel 2002. The AutoRecover feature saves copies of all open Excel files at a user-definable fixed interval. The files can be recovered if Excel closes unexpectedly, for example, during a power failure.

This article contains an overview of the AutoRecover feature.



Configure the AutoRecover Feature
To configure the AutoRecover feature, follow these steps:  On the Tools menu, click Options. On the Save tab, click to select the Save AutoRecover info every check box to turn on the AutoRecover feature. In the minutes box, type any integer from 1 through 120.

The default setting is 10 minutes. This box sets the number of minutes of the save interval. In the AutoRecover save location box, type the path and folder name of the location for the AutoRecover files.

The default location is C:\Documents and Settings\ \Application Data\Microsoft\Excel.

Notes  If the file location is a local one (on your hard disk) and the location does not exist, you receive the following error message:

Cannot access directory.

 If the file location is a network drive, you will not receive an error message until the first time that you try to use the AutoRecover feature. The first time that you try to use the AutoRecover feature, you receive the following error message:

Microsoft cannot save AutoRecover info to. Please check the network connection or change the location on the Save tab of the Tools, Options dialog.

</li> If you click to clear the AutoRecover save location box but do not enter a new location, AutoRecover files continue to be saved to the location that you cleared until you type a new location. The AutoRecover save location box remains empty until you type a new location.</li></ul> </li></ol>

You can turn off the AutoRecover feature in an individual workbook. To do so, click to select the Disable AutoRecover check box under Workbook options.

When an AutoRecover Event Is Triggered
When an Excel file is open and AutoRecover is turned on, AutoRecover does not save the file until the first change is made to the file, the AutoRecover save time interval passes, and Excel has been idle for some time (the default is 30 seconds). After AutoRecover saves the file, the file is only saved at subsequent save intervals if more changes are made.

When AutoRecover Files Are Deleted
To keep from filling up your AutoRecover location with nonessential files, AutoRecover files are automatically deleted in the following situations:
 * The file is manually saved.
 * The file is saved with a new file name by using Save As.
 * You close the file.
 * You quit Excel, whether you choose to save the file or not.
 * You turn off AutoRecover for the current workbook.
 * You turn off AutoRecover.

To do so, click to clear the Save AutoRecover info every check box.

AutoRecover Save Timing
WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The AutoRecover timer checks for changed Excel files at the interval that you set in the minutes box on the Save tab in the Options dialog box. The timer starts when you start Excel.

When the first save interval passes, Excel checks to see if any open files have been changed. If Excel locates files that are changed, an idle timer starts. The purpose of the idle timer is to make sure that the user does not make entries in the worksheet while the save operation occurs. The idle timer restarts each time that the user makes an entry in the worksheet so that the AutoRecover save file is not created until the save interval passes and no entries are made for the duration of the idle time.

The default idle time is 30 seconds. To change the default idle time, use the AutoRecoverDelay registry key. To do this, follow these steps: <ol> Quit Excel if it is running.</li> Click Start, and then click Run.</li> In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.</li> Locate and then click the following registry key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\Options

</li> On the Edit menu, click New, and then click DWORD value.</li> Type the following name for the new value:

AutoRecoverDelay

</li> Press ENTER.</li> Right-click the AutoRecoverDelay registry key, and then click Modify.</li> In the Value data box, type a number between 1 and 600.

This is the number of seconds before AutoRecover tries to save.</li> When you are finished, click OK.</li> Quit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

Note Only manually performed actions in the program affect the idle timer. Formulas that automatically update the file do not affect the idle timer. Excel saves the file when the idle time is reached, between the automatic updates to the formulas.

File Formats Saved by AutoRecover
AutoRecover saves all file formats that can be opened in Excel 2003. To maintain speed and simplicity, AutoRecover saves all files as the current Excel file format, regardless of the original file format that was opened. The file is saved as a hidden file with an arbitrary file name with the extension .xar (for example, ~ar18a.xar).

When you try to save a recovered file after you reopen Excel after Excel quit unexpectedly, the original file format and name is suggested as the Save file type. Excel stores the original file name and its related .xar file name in the registry for recovery.

AutoRecover and Multiple Instances of Excel
When more than one instance of Excel is running and one instance quits unexpectedly, a new instance of Excel is automatically started and the AutoRecover files are opened. If all instances of Excel quit unexpectedly, but the computer is still running, a single instance of Excel is started and all AutoRecover files are opened. When there is a power outage, all recovered files are opened when you start Excel again.

Compatibility
All AutoRecover settings, except the Disable AutoRecover workbook option, are stored in the system registry. AutoRecover settings are compatible with files from previous versions of Excel.

When the Disable AutoRecover workbook option is set, and the file is opened in a version of Excel earlier than Excel 2002, saved, and then reopened in Excel 2003, the Disable AutoRecover workbook option is not affected.

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