audacity not saving

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

hi- whenever i save my project to windows and also to dropbox i come back to reopen it and get the following message:

couldnt find the project data: and then the name of the project

then click ok and get

  • could not load project data: * and the c drive project name*

i am using windows xp

i dont understand and am constantly loosing work
please help! x

2

AUP is not a sound file. It’s a text file containing the instructions of what to do with all that stuff in the _DATA folder. That’s where all the sound is. You need both and only Audacity can open them.

You can File > Export to get a real sound file that anybody can open. Audacity default is Microsoft WAV which is very high quality, uncompressed and will open up in all three computer types.

If you elect to use a lesser quality MP3 file type, you will need to install the Lame software. Audacity will not make an MP3 without that. Each time you open an MP3 for editing, the quality goes down.

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#lame

Koz

3

Please be careful with Windows XP. Microsoft are no longer officially supporting it, so it will be unpatched against any new security vulnerabilities that appear. If you are not deleting or moving the _data folders of the projects, a virus may be doing so.

Make sure you have XP Service Pack 3. You can still download Service Pack 3 from Microsoft if necessary: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/en-gb .

Ensure you have a good third-party anti-virus application. Be aware though that this will not give you complete protection against a previously unknown attack.

For some extra protection you can install http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/jj653751 .

If it is not practicable for you to update to the much more secure Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can consider installing a Linux operating system instead. Most versions are free and all are very secure.


Gale

4

thankyou for responses.
can i ask now tho, how do i open the files that i have saved to dropbox? is it possible to continue working on them, i just cant get them to open in audacity
worried ive lost all my work

5

hi thanks for answering. i still cant open my project tho, i can see the data i just dont know how to get audacity to open it

6

You need both the AUP and the _DATA folder of the same name to be in the same place, say your desktop. Then just double click the AUP file. Audacity should come running, open the AUP file, read the instructions and put your show back together from the files in the _DATA folder.

This may not work if you changed the names of any of the files or folders. Did you? The names of the files and folders are burned into the software. You can’t change them later.

Koz

7

when i do this all the data opens seperately inseperate audacity pages, not as the project id worked on. i dont understand, i save project, nothin else

8

Have a good read of this page from the Audacity Manual, it should help you understand what’s going on: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_projects.html

WC

9

Thanks for the advice on XP/SP3. I am aware of MS support lapsing and the risks, and have taken as many precautions as I can.

10

Thanks for the advice Gale. But following the link, the EMET toolkit talks about enterprises. Do you know if it’s also suitable for private individuals?

11

Yes you can use it as a private individual. See for example http://www.howtogeek.com/190590/quickly-secure-your-computer-with-microsofts-enhanced-mitigation-experience-toolkit-emet/.


Gale

12

Thanks for the reply and the explanatory link. You obviously know much more than just Audacity.