Trouble Opening Email Attachments

[tsteino]

I use Windows XP Home Edition. I recently reformated my computer, and now I can't strictly "open" email attachments such as word documents, powerpoints, etc. When the download box comes up, the icon for the file is just a general one (it doesn't look like a word icon or a powerpoint icon). I click to "open" the file (as opposed to saving it), and another box appears with the question, "do you want to save the file or find a program online to open it?" Clicking "find" opens an explorer window on microsoft.com that is no help at all. If I want to open the file, I have to save it first. Then, when the download is complete, another box appears asking what I want to do next. I click "open" (as opposed to closing the dialogue box) and it asks me if I want to "find a program online to open the file" or "choose from a list of programs". I click to choose from a list and naturally choose microsoft word, powerpoint, or whatever format the file is in. This same thing happens when I try to download and open these types of documents straight from the interned as well...I can still view the file as HTML, but I need to edit and print. I wish I didn't have to save every attachment or web file that I want to open...how do I fix this problem? Help me!!!

[RandyL]

Word and Powerpoint are Microsoft Office programs. After the reinstall of Windows you will need to install Word, Powerpoint or the full Microsoft suite.

 

As an alternative you can install the free Open Office which can also read and edit those files.