I have a Gateway E2000 win HE SP2. I had been having monitor problems [suddenly going black] and had to do hard shutdowns of computer. I may have fixed that problem by changing a display setting]; however, when I tried to open a text file afterwards the text had changed into a bunch of 'squares' and couldn't be read by EditPad, Notepad, etc nor wordpad, etc. [rtf] programs.

Is there a WAY to reconvert or a free program that will convert the file back to readable txt? I is an important file with years of information on it and my only backup only has 1/10 the info.

D.Black Squares indicate that something happened with the bytes of the file. If it is a .txt file (notepad CREATES these), it is recoverable with a long trial-n-error process. PM me when you get the chance.oops, I forgot the XP in HE. Thanks for the reply Link_Dead. Did you get my PM?

Here's an example of what happened to my text file.
from this
AUTAUGA CO
1830 > Alabama > Autauga > No Twp Listed > M19_3 [ 115-1/ -80]
p124[244]L19 Haglin/HAGLER C m= 2<5, 1<40; f= 1<10, 1<40; CPT Buchannan? W. Morgan
Rogers, Smith, W. Johnson, Sr.

to the black squares

D.
I am very sorry for the slow response, had to go out of town. I do not know if my trick will work, but I will PM you. (sorry for grammer, on iTouch and it's being a pain to me)Thanks for the reply, I correct my prior the squares are black-outlined white squares not black squares, if that makes any difference.

D