Forum Discussion

joe_b_'s avatar
joe_b_
Explorer II
Mar 18, 2014

Works ver 3 - .WDB files

I have some files, important to me, on my old desktop, running Windows XP, which I plan to stop using. However, even though I have the original disk for Works ver.3, that created the files, it is not compatible with my Windows 7 and 8.1 computers. On those machines I have MS Office Suite but neither Word nor Excel will read a .wdb (works data base file).

Anyone know of any way to convert the .wdb file to something that Word or Excel can read that keeps the integrity of the Works file together. Even the current versions of Works won't read a .wdb file as it has a copyright date of 1997 on it.

It appears that MS changed the file extensions from .wdb to something else after ver. 3, not sure when or to what.

7 Replies

  • RFCN2's avatar
    RFCN2
    Explorer
    Mar 19, 2014
    In the past I have uploaded Word files to google drive and then downloaded them in the newer format. Although once you get them on to google drive that is a pretty good place to archive. Google is unlikely to obsolete them.
  • joe_b_'s avatar
    joe_b_
    Explorer II
    Mar 18, 2014
    Thanks guys, you are the best. Pulled the file up on the XP machine, then did the "save as" to a ".dbase IV" format, then saved it to a flash drive. Plugged that into my Windows 8.1 machine and used Excel 2007 to read it. Then saved it to the Windows 8 document section, as an excel workbook file. It did truncate some of the far right side of the page but nothing serious enough to be concerned with.

    Excel 4.0/5.0 (.xls) was not a choice, as I suspect the Works program I was using originally was before Excel 4 and 5 came out.

    thanks again.
  • mlts22's avatar
    mlts22
    Explorer II
    Mar 18, 2014
    x2 -- I'd go the saving the file as something else as mentioned above. The Convert utility costs 10 UK pounds if you don't want ads in your converted files, and is intentionally slow by design even after paying for it.
  • 1492's avatar
    1492
    Moderator
    Mar 18, 2014
    wildtoad wrote:
    On your XP machine can you export the Works file to another format? I read somewhere that you have the ability to export the file into excel 4/5 format which the new versions of excel might read.

    I would agree since you still have your XP machine.

    From Microsoft:

    You can't import a Microsoft Works database (.wdb) directly into Microsoft Access. You must first use Microsoft Works to save the file to one of the file formats that Microsoft Access can import.

    1. Open the database by using Microsoft Works.
    2. On the File menu, click Save as.
    3. In the Save as type box, select dBASE IV (*.dbf), and then click OK.
    4. Import the dBASE IV .dbf file that you created in step 3 into Microsoft Access.
  • wildtoad's avatar
    wildtoad
    Explorer II
    Mar 18, 2014
    On your XP machine can you export the Works file to another format? I read somewhere that you have the ability to export the file into excel 4/5 format which the new versions of excel might read.

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