Can't open file

[Laurel]

I'm in the habit of sending my son an Access database in a Winzip
self-extracting file. I rename the file "zipfile.exe_file" to get past some
e-mail security, and he puts it on his desktop, renames it, and double
clicks. Recently he had his XP OS re-installed by a repairman. Now when he
double clicks on the EXE file, he gets this error:

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access cannot open this file

This file is located outside your intranet or on an untruxted site.
Microsoft Access will not open the file due to potential security problems.
To open the file, copy it to your machine or an accessible network location.

I'm posting this in an XP user group, because the file Opens OK on his PC at
work (and on my PC, running XP), and it's only ZIP that should be involved
at this point - not Access. Sounds like an overarching Microsoft thing.

The self extracting EXE puts the .mdb file in a folder on the C drive. In
the past, it has created the folder if it wasn't there, but it is there, I'm
pretty sure.

Any ideas?

 

[Brandon]

It sounds like you need to "manually" extract the .mdb file out of the zip
to another location on the hard drive instead of trying to open in the zip
program or even windows xp zip utility interface. In other words ... right
click the .exe file (in your email software) > choose save as > save it
somewhere on the computer. Then, right click the saved file and choose
"Extract All". Then save it to a location on your computer. Now you should
be able to open the file.

 

[Laurel]

In case anyone else had this problem, it was caused by Service Pack 2. The
fix was to right mouse on the offending file, choose properties, and click
the "unblock" button that appears there. (It does not appear if the file is
not blocked.) Apparently this is required for any executable that shows up
on your system from another system via e-mail or the internet (not sure
about floppies and such.)