Solutions
Looking for a list of applications-compatible file extensions
By JOHN TORRO
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 4, 2003
Q. I'm looking for a file extension compatibility list. I found numerous file extension lists on the Net, but no lists that tell me what files are compatible with what programs. I need to know if a .dwg file will work with a software program that only opens files with extensions such as pdf, bmp, etc. I'm not looking for something, for example, that just says .ai = illustrator.
A. I'm not sure such a list exists. Most lists will mention the most popularly used program for a particular suffix. Other than a few Windows built-in suffixes such as .dll, .bat, .cmd and .exe, there are no rules or agreed upon standards.
Most programs will list the file types they are compatible with through the Open File dialog (File, Open . . . ). If the .dwg suffix is not listed in your program's Open File dialog, most likely it is not compatible.
When in doubt, I always open a file with Notepad or WordPad. These applications are safe and will not activate any macro or hidden program that could possibly harm your PC.
EndItAll not free
Q. The EndItAll tip (July 28) was deceptive. The "free" download requires that you first buy a subscription to PC Magazine's Utility Library, with prices ranging from $4.97 a month (for three downloads) to $19.97 a year. That's hardly a free solution to speeding up ScanDisk and defrag. Thanks for the efforts, but no thanks!
A. Since this particular problem is one that many readers deal with, I reluctantly passed that information on from a reader. I also noted that my recommended solution (Safe Mode) was one that didn't require any external programs.
We receive a number of e-mails from readers asking why the column doesn't recommend various freeware-shareware programs, and this is precisely the reason. Everything you need to run a properly tuned/maintained system is included in the base operating system.
Downloading Ad Aware
Q. After reading your July 28 column about Ad Aware, I went to its Web site but could not navigate it to download the free software.
A. It may have had some Web server issues a few other readers also had problems locating it. The site seems to work fine now. Go to www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ scroll down to the Ad Aware 6 Standard Edition and choose one of the download site links.
If for some reason you still have problems locating it, go to lavasoft.element5.com/software/adaware/ and look for the link under Downloads on the right side of the page. You also can go to fileforum.betanews.com/ and type Ad Aware in the file search. It should bring back a link for downloading.
Hijacked PC?
Q. An article that ran July 21 regarding the hijacking of PCs to send spam turned out to be very personal. Apparently my computer is being used by someone to send spam. I happened to check some of my spam by right-clicking on the Properties of some of the messages. To my shock, I found that the senders address of four of the messages was me! The article indicated the spammers normally go for PCs on high-speed connections, and mine is on dialup. How do I get rid of the embedded program? I have alerted my Internet service provider.
A. Don't worry. Your PC is not being hijacked to send spam. The From address you see in the e-mail header information is meaningless and can be set to whatever the spammer wants it to be, including your address.
Unprotected SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) servers connected to the Internet can be used by clever spammers to unwittingly send their spam, but this is not an issue for normal home PC users. The best way to fight spam is to contact your political representatives about legislation against these deceptive practices.
Unresponsive applications
Q. I ghosted my old drive over to a new hard drive and now find that two Windows Me applications won't open: Me Help and the system info application. The Me Help files go to the system directory when you click on Start/Help, and the msinfo.exe does nothing when clicked. How do I extract these programs from the Me CD or is there another fix?
A. You can re-install Windows Me (make sure it is the Windows install media and not a manufacturer's disc that will format and set the PC back to factory settings, thereby losing all your data).
Or you can try this Microsoft recommended solution: Insert your Microsoft Me CD into your CD-ROM drive.
* Click Start, Run.
* Type the following line and click OK:
rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection Msinfo.reg 64 C:\windows\inf\msinfo.inf
* Repeat for each of the next three lines:
rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection Msinfo2.reg 64 C:\windows\inf\msinfo.inf
rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection CDM.base 64 C:\windows\inf\msinfo.inf
rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection sigver.base 64 C:\windows\inf\msinfo.inf
Restart your computer.
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