# Old version of Powerpoint file still usable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788 "2013-06-24T14:53:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788/1 "2013-06-24T14:53:31Z")

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I was given a .ppt file from 2002. It had passed thru numerous hands, and is (purportedly–and I have no reason to doubt) a collection of deceased alumni.

In theory, shouldn’t it still be accessible from a current version of powerpoint? When I try to open it, it tells me that the format is incorrect.

Also. . .

If it does contain images, is there any way of recovering them from the .ppt file?

It’s possible that the file is just corrupt. The medium is either a photo cd or dvd (don’t have it on hand).

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788/2 "2013-06-24T15:19:23Z")

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Yes, it should still be accessible, so it has probably been corrupted. Still, an earlier version of Powerpoint might have a better shot at opening it anyways. Or you might want to try one of the Microsoft Office alternatives that can convert PPT to their native format. Try converting it and then converting it back to PPT. You’ll lose some formatting stuff, but images and text should be fine. That is, if it works at all.

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**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788/3 "2013-06-24T20:05:04Z")

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Yes newer versions of PPT are capable of opening earlier version’s files back to ppt 97 (in fact when you go to save a file you make on the new versions you can save it so it is viewable for people on the older versions using the file the drop down on the save window).

Any content that was pasted into the document should be extractable (pictures and the like) if it was dynamically linked it won’t display unless the image still resides on the location of the referencing URL or file pointer.

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**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-version-of-powerpoint-file-still-usable/661788/4 "2013-06-24T20:18:49Z")

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Perhaps it won’t open for you - _because your picture is in it!_  
[Cue Twilight Zone theme]