Posted by Ilene C. Seidel on 1/18/09 11:54am
Msg #274935

Need help from a computer wizzard

Just recently my computer started opening attachments using microsoft word instead of adobe reader. I don't know where to look to change how the attachements are read. Can anyone out there help!!

Reply by Deb_AL on 1/18/09 12:00pm
Msg #274936

Go to Windows Explorer. Once there go to the Tools Folder, Folder Options, File Types. Scroll down to where you see the DOC extension. Hi-light this and it should show it is using Adobe to open it. Go to the Change and select Microsoft Word. Hope this helps!

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 1/18/09 12:23pm
Msg #274939

Deb I don't have a "folder options" Do you mean internet options?

Reply by Deb_AL on 1/18/09 12:00pm
Msg #274937

Go to Windows Explorer. Once there go to the Tools Folder, Folder Options, File Types. Scroll down to where you see the DOC extension. Hi-light this and it should show it is using Adobe to open it. Go to the Change and select Microsoft Word. Hope this helps!

Reply by Deb_AL on 1/18/09 12:02pm
Msg #274938

Sorry for the double post - not sure how it happened n/m

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 1/18/09 12:25pm
Msg #274940

Re: Sorry for the double post - not sure how it happened

Deb, not sure where to find folder options, it's not in tools

Reply by OR on 1/18/09 12:34pm
Msg #274941

Re: Hubby says that you need to

Hubby say that you down load the document and then find it. Then you right click on the document then you can select the program that you want it to open with. Good luck.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 1/18/09 12:36pm
Msg #274942

Re: Hubby says that you need to

That's what I've had to do but this is new. They attachments always opened with adobe without saving to my computer. Something is wrong. Thanks anyway.

Reply by jojo_MN on 1/18/09 1:21pm
Msg #274944

Re: Hubby says that you need to

I'm not a computer wizard, but I think alot of it depends on how the sender saved and sent them. I have quite a few companies that will send four or five attachments to an email. Three of them might open in adobe, and one might open in Word.

Reply by Deb_AL on 1/18/09 3:28pm
Msg #274951

Re: Sorry for the double post - not sure how it happened

Ilene - its in Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer. Not sure what you are running but on mine it is under All Programs, then Accessories.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 1/18/09 3:03pm
Msg #274950

I didn't know that Microsoft Word would open .pdf files.

But I use an old version (Office 2000) and have migrated most of my document processing to OpenOffice.org, so if I am off base here, someone please jump in and correct me.

First, are you sure the documents you are trying to open are .pdf files and not .doc or anther type that would default to Word, as I have never seen .pdf files default to Word. But then again, I am using old versions of Word.

Somehow, the default changed, so you can do a couple of things. Assuming you have Adobe Reader 9, go to help and choose "Repair Reader Installation" . Running this should reset the default value for .pdf files back to Adobe. If you don't have 9, then I am not sure if this option is in the help menu, so I would recommend downloading 9. Be sure you manually uninstall the older version manually before installing the new.

Another thing you might want to try first is right click on the .pdf file you want to open. When the next box opens, look about 1/3 way down and choose "Open With .." . Another box will open giving you some choices of programs. Choose Adobe, but also look down in the lower left-hand corner of the window and make sure the box marked "Always use the selected program to open this type of file" is checked. That should fix it.

Reply by MichiganAl on 1/18/09 3:55pm
Msg #274953

You just need to correct the file association

Right click on one of the docs that keep opening up in Word, go to "open with" and then scroll down to "choose program." You'll be presented with a list of recommended programs. Single click on "Adobe Reader" to highlight it, and then look for a box near the bottom that says "always use the selected program to open this kind of file." Check that box and hit okay. That should do it.

By the way, to get to Windows Explorer, right click (not left click) on your start button (bottom left hand corner of your desktop) and select "Explore."