PowerPoint 2013: Images in presentation disappear - and are replaced with 'The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file'

Anonymous
2013-05-07T17:10:57+00:00

I've used PPT for 20 years and started using PowerPoint 2013 through Office 365 2 months ago and this has happened to me 4 times. 

1.  I create a presentation (Using copy and paste and/or insert to include pictures and other images)

2.  After working on the presentation for a while I save the file and realize all the images (except smart art) are gone and replaced with the message above.

3.  I have reinstalled PPT 2013 and it happened again.  I have documents that are 50 pages long and have had to insert new images (Hours of lost work) then 3 days later it happens again.

Not sure if it is related but I've noticed that once in a while when I try to save a document (Happens in Word and Outlook Calendar items) it tells me the file is locked and makes me save under a new name.

This is really a show stopper.  Any suggestions?

Microsoft 365 and Office | PowerPoint | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2014-01-20T22:53:18+00:00

UPDATE:

I know it's been a while since our last update but that's only because we've been hard at work on a solution and doing our best to ensure that it really does eliminate the problem.

Good news - we think we've finally fixed all instances of this bug. The update is now available and how you get it will depend on your version of Office:

  • Click-2-Run: you should receive the update automatically
  • "Traditional" install: update will be available via Microsoft Update

The correct build number once the update is installed is:

  • MSI: 15.0.4613.1000
  • C2R: 15.0.4615.1001

Obviously we'd love your feedback once you've installed the update. If for some reason you continue to hit the issue please post back here and be sure to include which build of PowerPoint you have as well as any other sync/anti-virus software you may have installed.

We're deeply committed to eradicating this issue and while we've done extensive testing there's always the possibility that something slipped through the cracks.

Thanks,

Dan

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-17T06:20:30+00:00

    If you look back through the thread, you'll see that most if not all of the people who've reported problems with this seem to have solved the problem by following those procedures.

    Some of them solved it, yes. However, it is unbelievable, that turning off any software that actively watches files is considered a solution over such a long time period.

    The whole purpose of actively watching files is usually some sort of safety. Whether it may be to be safe from threats or be safe from loosing a file (or be safe that a file you worked on on your workstation is synced to your other devices in time). Besides, as mentioned before, MS is using an own software to watch office files, which makes it even more ridiculous.

    I am aware that these are supposed to be temporary fixes, but it's time for a permanent fix, don't you think?

    >> Will someone from MICROSOFT please respond with an update?

    All anyone can tell you is that they're aware of the problem and are working on it.  If MS releases any sort of patch that's alleged to solve the problem, someone will announce it here.  Me, if nobody else beats me to it.

    Well, I don't think they are taking the problem serious enough. People are paying about 100 EUR/USD per year for Office and are not able to use PowerPoint anywhere near productively. You just can't take the chance to loose all the pictures or rely on a vague temporary fix like turning of all actively watching software (since as a layman, you can't even be sure that you turned of all relevant processes and risk loosing the images again).

    >>  I also tried the "hotfix" listed and got the same message as someone else on the thread saying "this fix doesn't apply to anything on your machine".... 

    There are many different editions (or whatever they're called) of PowerPoint 2013.  For most consumer versions, any patches will be rolled out automatically; downloadable stuff is by and large for the MSI-installed/Enterprise versions.  That may be why the hotfix declined to install itself on your PC.  If you recall the URL, I'll be happy to take a look to see if I can figure that out;  I don't have the time to go back through all 26 pages of this thread looking for it though.

    Here you go: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2837661

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-17T01:49:52+00:00

    So not true! I bought a basic Windows 8 laptop. The only software I added was Office 2013. I store everything on files on my desktop. VERY OLD SCHOOL. And it doesn't work. I like the comment about older formats. Why do those work? It is very obviously a serious bug in Powerpoint 2013, and I really cannot believe its a year later, and I am no closer to knowing if MIcrosoft will ever fix this.

    Michelle

    Are you using for a backup solution?

    I was using Genie Pro for my real time backup and when I stopped using it the problem went away.

    That was on a Win 7 machine.

    I have since upgraded to Windows 8 on another computer with a different backup solution and haven't had any issues here.

    Mickey Mills

    www.presentationwow.com

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-17T01:31:54+00:00

    So not true! I bought a basic Windows 8 laptop. The only software I added was Office 2013. I store everything on files on my desktop. VERY OLD SCHOOL. And it doesn't work. I like the comment about older formats. Why do those work? It is very obviously a serious bug in Powerpoint 2013, and I really cannot believe its a year later, and I am no closer to knowing if MIcrosoft will ever fix this.

    Michelle

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-17T01:18:39+00:00

    Yes someone said using PPT format worked. But others have said it did NOT work.

    One reason that it MIGHT work is that the file structures are fundamentally different.  The PPT is a "binary" construct, everything is "stuffed" into the single PPT file.  The PPTX file format is a bunch of separate files (XML, text and images) that are ZIPPED into a single file structure.  The zip structure is "looser", so that it is easier to lose track of the inserted image files.

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