Can Pages '09 still be downloaded? Vital writings no longer open, says have to save in '09 first, no longer have that version. HELP?

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Can Pages '09 still be downloaded? Vital writings no longer open, says have to save in '09 first, no longer have that version. HELP?

I saved stories for 15 years in then current versions of Pages that I now need to open, edit, compile into book. Since they are personal stories about my deceased daughter, very important to be able to access these writings. Pages 5.5.3 on my MacBook Pro ( mid 2010) will not open these older documents. I update regularly, had more recent Pages docs that would not open but never realized these precious archives were inaccessible until today. Can I download Pages '09 somehow today? dialog drop down box says to save in Pages '09 first. I no longer have it so that is not a great suggestion for me unless I can access that legacy version of Pages. I loved Pages, used it instead of Word, and now cannot believe all those stories are gone! Help? thanks.

Posted on May 5, 2015 2:27 PM

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Answer 1

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Sparkleberry

Level 5

6,121 points

May 5, 2015 2:55 PM in response to mauisunshine

Hi, Mauisunshine,

Have you checked within your Applications folder for another folder named iWork '09 to make sure that Pages is not tucked away there?

/Applications/iWork '09

If it is gone, you can still buy iWork '09 from third parties. For example, via Amazon there are listings for less than $25.

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Answer 2

mauisunshine Author

Level 1

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May 5, 2015 2:56 PM in response to Sparkleberry

THanks. . In trying to make room on hard drive, I recently deleted, as I thought it was duplicate Pages. Darn! I do have TimeMachine back ups though. Do you know if I can retrieve the older iWork including Pages by going to Time Machine from before I deleted iWork very recently? I have never had to use anything I've saved in Time Machine so not familiar if it includes applications. Thanks for your great help.

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Answer 3

May 5, 2015 2:57 PM in response to mauisunshine

Read my earlier post about this subject. Included is where to get the iWork '09 DVD, and the respective last application updates. The updates are critical to proper function on Yosemite. Once you have done this, you will have access to your stories again.

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Answer 4

May 5, 2015 3:07 PM in response to mauisunshine

There are lots of good Pages experts here - but this is what I would do. EDIT: See, VikingOSX just posted above. 😉

Go to your TimeMachine backup - prior to your upgrade date, of course.

Look for the Application folder of that date, open it and look for the iWorks folder.

Select just the iWorks folder by highlighting it and restore that to your current Application folder.

——

Any advice given is based on my experience. Your mileage may vary. I have purchase any and all shareware/commercial software in any advice given. I have no financial interest in any products mentioned.

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Answer 5

May 5, 2015 3:20 PM in response to mauisunshine

You could not have up dated regularly if you skipped Pages '09. It was around for over 4 years.

Exactly what version of Pages were the problem documents created in?

Why do your documents actually need to be in Pages? .pages is not a secure or compatible format as you have found out.

Would you not be better off using another safer format?

Peter

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Answer 6

mauisunshine Author

Level 1

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May 5, 2015 3:48 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

I don't know what version of Pages these stories were created in, not sure how to find that out, but I very recently ( in now obvious ignorance) deleted iWork '09 since I thought these were redundant with the current versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote that I have and was trying to free up space on my MBP. Thanks for your help! Live and learn.

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Answer 7

May 5, 2015 3:59 PM in response to mauisunshine

Parts of Pages '09 are sprinkled into the operating system locations. A restore from Time Machine will not fully restore Pages '09, and the iWork '09 DVD reinstall with specified update is the only certain way to get a proper installation.

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Answer 8

mauisunshine Author

Level 1

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May 5, 2015 4:00 PM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks! Appreciate your help.

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Answer 9

May 5, 2015 6:43 PM in response to mauisunshine

A hint for the version of Pages for the document would be the date of creation. e.g. 2008 would mean it was before Pages '09. and probably Pages '08.

You can buy iWork '09 from Amazon very cheaply, just make sure you update it to v4.3.

Peter

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Answer 10

Jeff Shenk

Level 4

2,993 points

May 6, 2015 6:00 AM in response to VikingOSX

If the OP had the DVD version, which also installs some files in Application Support, it's likely that deleting Pages '09 to save space won't have touched those other files. If it was the App Store version, those files are not installed outside of the application package. At any rate, restoring whatever files were deleted should work.

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Answer 11

May 6, 2015 9:59 AM in response to Jeff Shenk

Well, it wasn't clear if a so-called cleaner application was used, or not. The DVD tosses a bunch of dependent libraries into /Library, and an OS X update could have treated them with prejudice. The iWork 9.3 updater does not install these again either.

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