In
Jerome Nadelhaft said:
I use XP Home. I recently got an email (I use Outlook
Express) with
attachments. When I tried to open them I got for each a
message that
it was an Uknown File Type.
Chances are you don't have a program installed for the type of
file sent. When you install a program that uses a particular type
of file, Windows creates an association between the extension of
the file name (the last three characters, after the dot) and the
program needed to open it Once that association exists, all you
need to do is double-click a file with that association and it
will open in the associated program. So, for example,
double-clicking a .txt file opens it in notepad and
double-clicking a .doc file opens it in Word (if you have Word
installed).
An unknown file type means that no association has been created
for the particular extension. That's why I say you probably don't
have the appropriate program.
When I clicked the Open tab the message
read:
This file does not have a program with it for performing this
action.
Create an association in the Folder Option Controls Panel.
I have no idea what any of that means. Where is the Folder
Option
Controls Panel? How do I create an association? Etc.
The easiest way to create an association is to right click any
file with the particular extension, choose Open with, select the
program, and check "Always use this program..." However, as I
said, you probably don't have have the appropriate program. What
is the extension?
Over and above everything above, you are trying to open a file
attachment when you have no idea what it is. This is among the
most dangerous things you can do on your computer. Attachments
are *very* dangerous and can frequently carry viruses and other
forms of malware. Exposing yourself to such risks by clicking on
any attachment you get is foolhardy. Don't think that you are
safe because you may know the sender. Many viruses spread by
sending themselves to everyone in an affected person's address
book, so the sender may not have even known he was sending it. My
personal rule is that I never open E-mail attachments at all
except from a *very* few trusted sources, and even then, only if
I'm expecting them.
