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Old 03-06-2009, 04:28 PM
Timpotty Timpotty is offline
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Help-overwriting files-could it be macro virus?
 
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Unhappy Help-overwriting files-could it be macro virus?

I have been working on a project in MS Word 2000 for a while and at the start of each day I save the current file as revision a, b, c, etc.....retaining old copies just in case…..
Today I opened my file lets call it, plan_rev_h.doc, and worked away merrily saving as I went along-the document was about 40 pages long at this point. I had a request for a section of the document so I deleted all but 4 pages and saved the document to a new name, lets say extract_plan.doc. I emailed the document as requested and then reopened the original file plan_rev_h.doc only to be shocked to see only the 4 pages as extract_plan.doc. At this point I assumed I had accidentally overwritten the previous file and having closed the session I lost the opportunity to undo and get the other 36 pages back. Fed up I accepted the situation and opened a even earlier version, say plan_rev_g.doc from the day before only to see the same 4 pages again!!!!
Frustrated I opened several earlier versions only to see the same 4 pages!
It seems that as I opened earlier versions they were overwritten by extract_plan.doc as the last saved document. This seems to be the case back to approximately version rev_c at which point old files are intact. Also some other files with significantly different file references also open to show the same 4 pages and others do not-I can only assume that at some point the error or change occurred at some point in time.
I have also noticed that in file explorer all the corrupted files only show small file sizes (approximately 20k) whereas the original files were about 700-1000k. Also if I copy or drag a copy of a corrupted file to my desktop of other location it does not open with a dialogue box stating something like file cannot be found and open file from within MS Word-interesting showing a path to one of the old files and not the one attached to the icon. It seems to be behaving like a shortcut to ‘another’ file.
I have updated virus definitions and ran a full in depth scan but nothing comes to light.
Starting a new document does not seem to be a problem at present but I'm concerned it will soon.
Can anyone shed any light on what is going on and how to stop this happening in future?
Is it a macro virus or other virus?
Is it common to a particular template file?
Absolutely desperate for help as I have a critical deadline.



UPDATE

I have now examined the files and this problem started at plan_rev_d.doc and when I now open later versions i.e. plan_rev_h.doc and look in the properties box (general info) it actually states that the file is plan_rev_d.doc although saved with a name of plan_rev_h.doc. Therefore the later file icons are actually working like a shortcut and plan_rev_d.doc is the source file. How do I correct this as it is playing hell with keeping my project up to date.

Last edited by Timpotty; 03-07-2009 at 04:07 AM. Reason: Additional Information
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