Data File Virtualization Question

[John]

I am learning how some data files that Vista Business isn't sure of are
"virtualized" so they can't do harm.

My question is how does Vista determine which application's data files are
questionable and which are not?

Example. An email (Vista Windows Mail) had two attachments. One was a PDF
file, the other a Word document. I don't know the version of the authoring
software.

I clicked the Attachments paperclip and opened the PDF file as I always have
using Adobe Reader 8 (the latest). All is good.

I clicked and tried to open the Word DOC file using Word 2000 (from Office
2000) and received a "file not found" and a long link into Internet Files.

I went to the location in Internet Files and there was no Word DOC file...
fair enough. So I went back to the email and Saved the doc file to my User
folder.

Now I navigate Explorer to my User folder and click the saved doc file....
file not found again. But if I open Word and then navigate Word to that file
location, it opens.

Someone please explain what is happening. Do I need to tell Word to behave
differently? Are PDF files more acceptable to Vista than DOC files? I want
to understand all of the security idiosyncarcies so I can adjust my
computing habits accordingly.

Thanks for your time.

 

[John]

There is something very curious, like a poltergeist, at work. Here's what I
did as a test. Again, Word 2000.

Opened Word, created a file and Saves As to the Desktop.
Then closed Word and double clicked the Doc file I just created on the
Desktop. Same error message about not finding the file. But Word does
understand the DOC extension, it just can't find the file.

Then right clicked the doc file and used the File-Open. Word started, same
error.

Then right clicked and did File Open With. Word was displayed in the next
dialog box so I chose it. Word opened without error but there was no file
displayed, not even a blank page. It was as if word had been started from
scratch.

Took the Test.doc file and renamed it to Test.txt. Clicked it and Notepad
worked fine displaying jibberish as expected.
Then right clickes Test.txt and chose Open With and then Word. File opened
PERFECTLY.


There has to be something about non-Vista friendly software that causes
these virtualized files to be created whenever they are saved. I may try
reinstalling Office 2000 and run the install as an admin hoping that may
convince Vista that word is okay and doesn't need virtualization of its
files. I have noticed the extra Compatability Folder in some Explorer
screens and they contain these Excel 2000 or Word 2000 files.