Axcrypt Excel File Disappeared

[questionfile]

Using Axcrypt 1.72 I was editing an Excel file. I hit save maybe 50 times. Some time after that, the axcrypt.exe crashed and for some reason the original .axx had not updated? was my file before I’d saved 50 times.

How is that possible – how do I recover it?

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello questionfile,

Here’s how AxCrypt works:

1. When you open a file, it is decrypted to a temporary location, and then Excel is launched to open that temporary file.

2. When AxCrypt (which stays resident) detects that Excel is exited, it takes the temporary file and re-encrypts it back to the original location and then wipes the temporary decrypted file.

If AxCrypt crashes or is killed between 1. and 2. it can’t perform step 2, and while you’re saving the Excel file to the temporary location the encrypted original file won’t get updated.

However, the temporary file is still there, so if you notice this you can manually find it. With AxCrypt 2 it also detects that there’s an ‘orphan’ decrypted file, and you can click the clean ‘broom’ icon for example to get the decrypted file re-encrypted and update the encrypted file.

[questionfile]

Thanks. So is that in /temp/axcrypt1/? because there is no file there unfortunately. If it is .tmp what do you do with it?

[questionfile]

I’ve found a .tmp in axcrypt one but I can’t do anything with it – I can’t copy it or rename it because it’s in use. Of course if I close the axcrypt.exe it will delete the file probably.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello questionfile,

AxCrypt 2 uses %localappdata%\axcrypt for working files, settings and temporaries (and subdirectories thereunder).

From what you write, it seems you’re running AxCrypt 1? The tmp file you are referring it likely just working memory for AxCrypt if it’s AxCrypt 1 and does not contain any file data.

[Flynn]

I have the same problem. Axcrypt has a lost the current version of a report with a statutory deadline that I’ve been working on for around 12 hours. I use Axcrypt 1. Can I recover it or not?

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Flynn,

First of all – AxCrypt 1.x is unsupported unmaintained software. That being said, as long as you’ve not restarted the PC the file is still available in the temporary location mentioned in earlier posts.

 

[Flynn]

Thanks for the help. I’ve found it, even though I had restarted the PC twice. There were quite a few other files in there too. I’ll be sure to check regularly and delete now that I know this is happening.

[Amara Smith]

Before Excel can be overwritten, you can restore them by restoring the previous version, AutoRecover, and Recent Option.

[Amara Smith]

I just saw this after Google search: https://www.fonecope.com/recover-unsaved-excel-file.html

[Author]

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