Opening old Illustrator files in latest versions

[Chouettecacahuete]

I have lots of old Illustrator files on my computer that I can not open, any one know why this is the case? What I normally do is go to an older computer and update the old files to the latest version of Illustrator on that computer then copy them onto a USB and place them on my current computer, needless to say this is a real chore, I don't understand why Adobe Illustrator wpuld make their own files inaccessible to their users.

Thanks in advance!

{Renamed by MOD}

[Thomas25012361q19r]

Happy 2022, I too am having a similar issue. I paid a designer in 2008 to build me a logo and she used Corel Draw, then I assume exported out various formats from EPS to .AI. They were perfect back then, but now when trying to open I'm getting a PostScript error, and the same error as above (for the .AI) files. Any guidance on opening in newer versions of .AI? Neither the EPS or AI files open.

[Monika Gause]

Can you please tell us exactly which error. The "same as above" is somewhat difficult to locate in 28 posts.

[Thomas25012361q19r]

This has been resolved. I determined my email attachments became corrupt during the send. I was able to find the original source and the problem is resolved. The error from within Adobe Illustrator was: "The file "filename.ai" is in an unknown format and cannot be opened."

[aeimann24064332]

Hello! Srishti, how are you? I have one question for you. Does version 2015 of the Adobe file work on newer versions like Adobe 2022 or 2023?

[Test Screen Name]

Looking at the messages from Open tells why the rename attempt failed. If it still fails please share the new "failed to open..." messages, something diffferent might be wrong. Let's get file naming out of the way before reinstalling anything. 

[Chouettecacahuete]

Hi Srishti again, 

Just to let you know we are still pursuing the ai. icon issue, a member of our team has sent us this:

"I have figured out what the problem is with the thumbnails - it is the Datto QuickLook generator- (after a bit of research on the Adobe support forums) - removing the DattoQuickLook.qlgenerator from the QuickLook folder in your Library folder will get your thumbnails working again - it is conflicting with the Adobe thumbnail generator!! However I can't check whether this actually makes them show on Workplace (it displays on .ai files saved on my desktop) as Workplace has disappeared from my computer today - going to try restarting..."

"Ah - unfortunately it still doesn't get the thumbnails to show on Datto Workplace. Anyway, at least we know the problem is with Datto now, either way."

Bw,

[Meghan281896857oke]

I am having the exact same problem, ridiculous that Adobe doesn't allow you to open Illustrator files I made like 1 year ago! And there is no option for me to install Illustrator 2021 (I've tried the "other versions" thing), so now I can't access these files ever again I suppose, or if I try there are lots of lines missing. 

[Monika Gause]

I am having the exact same problem, ridiculous that Adobe doesn't allow you to open Illustrator files I made like 1 year ago! And there is no option for me to install Illustrator 2021 (I've tried the "other versions" thing), so now I can't access these files ever again I suppose, or if I try there are lots of lines missing. 

By @Meghan281896857oke

It's no problem opening older files down to version 1.

If you cannot open your older files, you need to check all the individual things that might go wrong.

Please tell us which version and system you are using.

Where are the files located? If on a server, please move them to your local harddisk first. In case someone sent them to you, please have them send the files again and ZIP them first.

Which error message shows? Or what exactly is happening?

What's in the files?