If you don't have a compatible viewer or the program that created the file,
on your computer, you will not be able to view the file. Likely you did have
such when you were running Windows 98.
Microsoft has free viewers for Excel, PowerPoint etc.
Adobe has a free viewer for Acrobat created files.
If you tell the file extension of the file you may get an answer more to
your liking.
--
Regards,
Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)
Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!