[shannon123]

i needed to change a file to something as i wasn't allowed to upload it, so i changed it (by gong through properties etc) and now all my downloaded files have been changed and where they were say adobe reader files they've all got an internet explorer icon instead?!? when i click on them it opens hundreds and hundreds of IE and i have to close down my computer?

I've done a sca with malware and its come back fine?

Sorry for the useless description of whats happening!!

[amon91]

That's because you've changed the file associations. If you set a PDF file to open with let's say IE, your computer will learn that and make all PDF files open with IE. Plus what site are you trying to upload to? Most likely it restricts PDFs but changing your file associations won't do you good. Instead you might want to sent it in another format.

[shannon123]

i was trying to change it to another format haha im useless at this, so lovely person please tell me how to fix it all pretty please?

Also how do i change the format of a file

[amon91]

Well, the first thing you can do to fix the problem is to change the association back to Adobe Reader (assuming that's what you were using to open PDF files, it usually is). Then, in order to change the format you actually have to convert the file, e.g to convert to a word document you have to use a PDF to Word converted like this one (which sometimes don't work that well might I warn you). But we need to know what type you're trying to convert to.

[shannon123]

ok so i changed it back from IE to PDF, the file i was originally trying to change wouldn't open on adobe so i deleted it and re-downloaded it and it still won't open so im assuming it has something to do with me changing it to open as a PDF?! I'm so confused right now!
I remember before any of this happened when the original file downloaded it was called a 'compressed file' and had a yellow file with a zip down it but now when i download it off of the website now it downloads as a PDF?!

does any of this make sense?

If it helps what im trying to download is pictures and the first time i downloaded it, it worked and i could see it the pictures it was when i started trying to change the format of it that it all went wrong?!

[PSYCH0]

There are two free way of which I know to create a PDF for free.
1. Download cutePDF writer.
This will create a vitual printer that prints to a PDF file in a location of your choosing.
2. Open Office.
This full office suite allows any file to be exported as a PDF by default.

[amon91]

shannon123, on 06 November 2009 - 09:42 PM, said:

ok so i changed it back from IE to PDF, the file i was originally trying to change wouldn't open on adobe so i deleted it and re-downloaded it and it still won't open so im assuming it has something to do with me changing it to open as a PDF?! I'm so confused right now!
I remember before any of this happened when the original file downloaded it was called a 'compressed file' and had a yellow file with a zip down it but now when i download it off of the website now it downloads as a PDF?!

does any of this make sense?

If it helps what im trying to download is pictures and the first time i downloaded it, it worked and i could see it the pictures it was when i started trying to change the format of it that it all went wrong?!

Oh, they were ZIP files then... this will fix the association.

[shannon123]

yay that worked and changed it back to a zip file but when i open it everything in there is still adobe and wont open..... i've reeally made a mess of this!

[amon91]

shannon123, on 07 November 2009 - 07:48 AM, said:

yay that worked and changed it back to a zip file but when i open it everything in there is still adobe and wont open..... i've reeally made a mess of this!

Well, you mean inside the ZIP file, right? If that's the case that's what's supposed to happen but a screenshot would help us understand the issue better.

[shannon123]

ok so i've taken some screen shots,

first is what is there when i open the zip file and the second is what it says when i try to open one of them.

This post has been edited by shannon123: 07 November 2009 - 05:51 PM

[amon91]

Oh, now I get it, those are jpegs not PDF files. You have to open them with an image viewer such as Windows Photo Gallery, which is built-in. Do the same thing you did to change the program you want it to launch with, but instead of selecting Adobe Reader select your image viewer/editor of your choice (e.g. Windows Photo Gallery).

[shannon123]

ok the next issue being that to change what i open it with only works on the outside of the zip file, so if i change that to a photo opener it doesn't work and if i click into the file and go into properties on one of them there is no way to change what opens them?!

[shannon123]

ok so i got fed up trying to fix it so just did a system restore, so its all working fine now but i now need to change the files to either PDF, DOC, RTF, JPG to use them for what i need them for....?!?!?

[amon91]

Usually .jpg files can be opened anywhere so I think you're set. If you want to convert it to another image type, try this online converter. Good luck