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

Anonymous

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?

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Anonymous

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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513 additional answers

Steve Rindsberg 99,176 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2013-09-13T15:56:47+00:00

All these replies may be helpful ... there seem to be a lot of fingers pointing at problems with files that are being kept synched by one program/service or another (though this doesn't appear to be the sole cause).

Re #3: had anything changed between the previous save and the next "can't save" save attempt? Anything at all? Opening another program, changing the focus in Windows Explorer ... whatever?
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Anonymous

2013-09-13T15:21:17+00:00

I haven't had this happen for a couple of weeks and then yesterday on a quick job for a client, I opened up the deck from Dropbox, made the changes and when I went to save this occurred. grrrr

I had to go back and do everything over again. Fortunately they were small changes and I could get through it pretty quick.

I would love to send the files but since I am on a NDA with this work that is not possible.

MM
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Anonymous

2013-09-13T15:08:19+00:00

I experienced the same behavior as GregBroland except I was synched with Box.com. I created a new copy of the original presentation I was modifying in a non-synched directory and I have not experienced any errant behavior after several modifications and saves.
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Anonymous

2013-09-12T15:37:02+00:00
I understand how frustrating this is, though "frustrating" is probably too weak a word.

As an add-in developer, I can tell you that these kinds of problems are hugely frustrating for the programmers as well. My experience has been that if I can cause the problem to happen here, in front of me, I can locate the bit of code that causes it and as often as not, fix it. Usually very quickly. Hours, if not minutes, sometimes.

Trying to track down a problem that I can't reproduce locally is more like shooting fish in a barrel. When the barrel's somewhere in Iowa and I'm in Ohio. And its' a dark, moonless night. Frustrating doesn't begin to describe it, and I'm sure the developers at MS are feeling it.

But hey, let's take a chance here; do send me the before and after files along with any further info you can provide and your contact info. I'll try to get it in front of someone at MS who's familiar with the problem.

Best bet would be to put it all up on Skydrive/Dropbox and send me a link ... steve at-sign pptools dot com

I realized that the example that I have contains proprietary information from the company for which I am consulting so I can't provide the example.

However I do have another case of the lost images that occurred after an interesting series of steps / messages:

Here is what happened:
1. working on a PPTX on my local copy of Google Drive - google synch program is active so the file is synched to the cloud drive when I save
2. saved (not save as) several times
3. on the last save, got a pop up message that the file cannot be saved because it is read only. I should do a save as. Note, the file wasn't "read only" 3 minutes ago and wasn't closed between save attempts.
4. Did a save as. BOOM!! images are gone - file size reduced from 991 KB to 228 KB.
Note that the images that were lost were saved as .png images during a "paste special" operation.

Note: imbeded graphics objects from excel were not lost

I rebuilt the file and have been working with the new version with no problem for the last two hours.
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