Solutions: Take care with unsolicited attachments

Q. I too had been getting the "removed access to unsafe attachments" message in Outlook Express. Your Oct. 14 reply addressed XP, but it also applies to Windows Me.

A. Good point. While this Outlook Express action change was part of the XP Service Pack, it is indigenous to the latest versions of Outlook Express for any of the Windows versions. Microsoft's intent was to make it not-so-automatic to open an e-mail attachment. While this can be frustrating at times, I can't tell you the number of people I hear from each week that have contracted a PC virus from opening an attachment without knowing the contents or the sender. Again my advice: Delete all e-mail sent from people you do not know before opening (make sure auto-preview is turned off). And never open an attachment unless it is from someone you know and you're expecting it, and only then after having your updated antivirus program examine it.

File formats, suffixes

Q. Occasionally when I open a file, another window will open titled Open With. What program do you open the file with? How do you choose the best program to open the file?

A. It's one of our most asked questions and probably one of the least understood. Windows keeps a cross-reference of file extensions-programs in the Registry. If you double-click a file in Windows Explorer, Windows will look in the Registry to see which application, or program, is associated with the file's suffix, then run the associated application using the double-clicked file as the default input. For example, files ending with .doc are usually associated with Microsoft Word. This association is established as part of the setup when you install the Microsoft Office application. Files ending with .txt are automatically associated with Microsoft Notepad. This association is one that is established as a default by Windows itself.

The easiest way to change the associations is through Windows Explorer. Right-click on any file that you want to change the default Open With program. (Different versions of Windows may require you to select the file, then hold the Shift key while you right-click.) Select Open With. This will display the Open With dialog window. Scroll down and select the program you want to be associated with that file type, or click the Other button to browse to the desired program.

A Web site that has an extensive listing of many file suffixes and the programs most often associated with them can be found at whatis.techtarget.com/fileFormatA/.

Hidden photos

Q. I installed Windows Service Pack 1 for XP. When I open windows that have pictures or graphics, some of them appear as a box with a small red X in the corner. When I right-click on the X, I get a pull-down menu that lets me display the picture. How can I get the images to appear automatically?

A. On the Internet Explorer menu bar, click Tools, Options, the Advanced tab. Scroll down to the Multimedia section and make sure that the Show Pictures option is selected. I can't tell you how this got turned off. It is not a known side effect from installing XP SP1.

Monitor motions

Q. My monitor is giving me problems, but not all the time. Imagine the screen shrinking and expanding about a quarter inch back and forth. Is it a virus, the monitor or something inside the tower? I've tried disk cleanup, ScanDisk and defrag, as well as cleaning up cookies and temp Internet files to no avail.

A. I don't suspect a virus or a disk-related causes. This is what I would do, in this order: Make sure your monitor is not close to a fluorescent light or unshielded audio speakers (or other electronics that may cause interference). Degauze the monitor (some have a button for this on the monitor; check your monitor's documentation). Next, check the monitor-to-PC cable to make sure it is fastened evenly and securely. If you are comfortable opening your PC, take out and reseat the video adapter card. To eliminate the chance that this is a faulty video card, borrow a working monitor, connect it to your PC and observe the screen. Finally, boot into safe mode and again observe the screen. This will eliminate the possibility of a corrupt video driver. It sounds to me as if your monitor is nearing the end of its life. If it is less than a year, it is probably under warranty, but check with the vendor or store where you purchased it regardless. If nothing works out, you'll need to purchase a new one. It is usually not cost effective to repair.

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