I can't open old documents

QCassidy352 · Dec 29, 2003

ok, I have these old documents that were created with some older version of appleworks several years ago. I'm not sure exactly what version. When I created them, I encrypted them - each one had a little icon of a key in the lower left.

Since that time, I've switched computers, and moved to OS X. I now cannot open these documents.

The key icon still appears on each of them, but they aren't really locked - when I go to open one, it doesn't ask for a password, just what application I want to use. The funny thing is that they still appear as appleworks documents on the desktop, and appleworks is the default app for them, but when I try to open them with appleworks, I get the message "That file could not be converted to and AppleWorks document."

They won't open at all in Appleworks. In Word and textedit, they open, but as gibberish, meaningless symbols.

I'm at a loss. The only thing I can think of is opening them on a computer with a much older appleworks program. What do you all think?

MacsRgr8 · Dec 30, 2003

Re: I can't open old documents

Originally posted by QCassidy352
The only thing I can think of is opening them on a computer with a much older appleworks program. What do you all think?

Won't be much of a help... I agree. Try to get an old version of Apple (Claris) Works.... (or is it even older...MacWrite or so?)

Edit: Just thought of the idea.... Maybe you can get hold of a copy of MacLink?
If you want, I probably can convert these files for you (I have MacLink and AppleWorks). Just send me a PM.

MisterMe · Dec 30, 2003

Re: Re: I can't open old documents

Originally posted by MacsRgr8
Won't be much of a help... I agree. Try to get an old version of Apple (Claris) Works.... (or is it even older...MacWrite or so?)

Edit: Just thought of the idea.... Maybe you can get hold of a copy of MacLink?
If you want, I probably can convert these files for you (I have MacLink and AppleWorks). Just send me a PM.

The current version of AppleWorks can open just about any file created by any version of ClarisWorks or AppleWorks with perfect fidelity. I have not a clue what problem QCassidy352 may be experiencing. However, it is most unlikely that his problem is due to an uncorrupted version of AppleWorks not being able to open an uncorrupted Claris/AppleWorks file.

rainman::|:| · Dec 30, 2003

Is it possible that some other program encrypted the files, and OS 9 knew to unlock them first, but OS X doesn't? If the creator codes stayed the same, it would display the same icon.

paul

QCassidy352 · Jan 6, 2004

Originally posted by paulwhannel
Is it possible that some other program encrypted the files, and OS 9 knew to unlock them first, but OS X doesn't? If the creator codes stayed the same, it would display the same icon.

paul

yes, that sounds right to me. My problem persists. MacLinkPlus was unable to help me.

I also tried opening the files on an old G3 with OS 8.6, but that didn't work either. Sadly, I don't have any machines running OS 9...

I'm out of ideas but I'd really like to get these documents open. Any suggestions are welcome.

QCassidy352 · Jan 7, 2004

help?

MisterMe · Jan 7, 2004

Originally posted by QCassidy352
help?

The only thing that I can think of is that you had Disk Doubler or the Aladdin equivalent utility (If forget its name) running.

From all of your posts, I have gleened this much:

These are files created by you using ClarisWorks.
You are the only person who accessed them.
You should know what you had installed on your computer at the time.
Nobody else can help you but you.

QCassidy352 · Jan 8, 2004

Originally posted by MisterMe
The only thing that I can think of is that you had Disk Doubler or the Aladdin equivalent utility (If forget its name) running.

From all of your posts, I have gleened this much:

These are files created by you using ClarisWorks.
You are the only person who accessed them.
You should know what you had installed on your computer at the time.
Nobody else can help you but you.

well, you're right that I'm the one who created them and accessed them, and that I should (and do) know what I had on the computer at the time. But I don't see how it follows that therefore no one else can help me.

These files were encrypted claris documents. They are no longer recognized as such by any computer, including the one that created them. They are simply called "documents" now and no application seems to be able to open them.

Someone else might yet be able to help me. If they know of a program that can open "unrecognized" documents, or if they have heard of this before and know how to break the encryption (even though they are no longer recognized as encrypted).

Sun Baked · Jan 8, 2004

If they really are encrypted like a PGP file, and not just a password protected file, then even trying to recapture the file contents using a strait text editor wouldn't work anyway.

Of course WordPerfect files are just as bad.

abg94022 · May 25, 2006

Don't know if the original poster is still reading these forums but I ran across this kind of problem myself a couple of years ago. The problem turned out to be an OS9 "feature"; the file had been converted to an "Apple File Security Document". Double clicking on the file while booted in OS9 allowed me to enter the password which unencrypted the file.

Probably WAY too late for the original poster, but if they still have the file, have access to an OS9 machine and can remember the password they might still be able to recover the contents.

MacsRgr8 · May 25, 2006

Correct.

I remember helping the OP on this one via email. He didn't have Mac OS 9 at his disposal at the time.
I noticed that it was OS 9 File Security, and later he could "unlock" the file after finding a Mac OS 9 machine, and remembering the password.

All's well that ends well

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