XL2002: How to Recover a Lost Worksheet or Lost Version of a Worksheet

If you mistakenly delete, lose, save over the top of, or do not save an Excel 2002 worksheet, you may be able to recover it. Excel 2002 has an AutoRecover feature that automatically saves worksheets in the case of accidental loss of power or similar problems.

For additional information about the AutoRecover feature, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: To see if the missing worksheet exists, search for XLS files on your computer by using the appropriate steps for your operating system.

Windows XP

1. Click Start, and then click Search.
2. In the Search Results window, click All files and folders.
3. In the All or part of the file name dialog box, type *.xls.
4. Under Type of file, expand More advanced options, and then click All Files and Folders.
5. Click to select both the Search system folders, and the Search hidden files and folders check boxes, and then click Search.

Windows 2000

1. Click Start, click Search, and then click Find Files or Folders.
2. In the Search for files or folders named dialog box, type *.xls.
3. Make sure that your primary hard disk, typically disk C, appears in the Look in dialog box, click to select theInclude subfolderscheck box, and then click Search Now.

Windows 98

1. Click Start, click Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type *.xls.
3. Make sure that your primary hard disk, typically disk C, appears in the Look in dialog box, click to select the Include subfolders check box, and then click Find Now.
4. Double-click a file in the results list to open it in Excel and see if it is the version that you are missing. NOTE: If none of the .xls files in the results list is the version that you are missing, continue to the next step.
5. Repeat step 2. In the Named box, type *.xarinstead of *.xls.
6. Double-click a file in the results list to open it in Excel and see if it is the version that you are missing. NOTE: If none of the .xar files in the results list is the version that you are missing continue to the next step.
7. On the desktop, double-click Recycle Bin to see if the worksheet that you want is there. If the missing worksheet is not located in any of these areas, the worksheet is lost, and to recover it, you must re-create it.