can not read a file

i have received an e-mail with an attachment. When I open it, it opens with
Note pad. All I see is pc jargon. (letters and symbols) Why does this happen
and what do i need to do to correct it

What is the file extension of the attachment you're trying to open? Are you able to save the attachment first and then open it?

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
Winhelponline.com blog http://www.winhelponline.com/blog


"Mama Jan" <Mama > wrote in message newsA341DA4-9527-49AA-B21A-...
i have received an e-mail with an attachment. When I open it, it opens with
Note pad. All I see is pc jargon. (letters and symbols) Why does this happen
and what do i need to do to correct it

Mama Jan wrote:
> i have received an e-mail with an attachment. When I open it, it opens with
> Note pad. All I see is pc jargon. (letters and symbols) Why does this happen
> and what do i need to do to correct it

First you need to check on the type of file (extension).
Most of the time it is a jpeg image file or a pdf file.
In the computer, where you are on the file, press the ALT
key (the menu bar pops up) choose tools>options look for the
setting to "always have menu bar on" and then the "hide
extensions for known types" . Turn off the "hide extensions"
and turn on the "menu bar always on". Okay these by closing
the settings box. Your file type should reveal itself with
an extension after the file name.

One note ( if the file was attached to an email) right
click and choose scan for viruses first) Sometimes, and more
often than not, there are viruses distributed as text files,
pdf's and occasionally picture file types.

Lester

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:44:00 -0700, Mama Jan <Mama
> wrote:

> i have received an e-mail with an attachment. When I open it, it opens with
> Note pad. All I see is pc jargon. (letters and symbols) Why does this happen
> and what do i need to do to correct it



To make sense of a file, you need to open it with a program that
understands its format. What you are seeing is not "pc jargon," but
simply the result of opening it with the wrong program.

Tell us what the extension (the last three characters of the file
name, after the period) is, and we can tell you how to open it
properly.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Hi,

First, were you expecting the file and do you know the source? If not,
delete it as it is more than likely a virus.

If you do know the above, ask the sender what was used to create it. What
you are seeing is the result of a file extension that your system is
unfamiliar with. Notepad is merely interpreting the code as ASCII and
translating it to the appropriate characters.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Mama Jan" <Mama > wrote in message
newsA341DA4-9527-49AA-B21A-...
>i have received an e-mail with an attachment. When I open it, it opens with
> Note pad. All I see is pc jargon. (letters and symbols) Why does this
> happen
> and what do i need to do to correct it