I think I need to expand a little.

On every file attachment to incoming emails the program logo on the attachment is a Word logo, but a majority of them have a .pdf extension. The only indication the file is .pdf is the extension on the file name. When I try and open the attachment from the email location, the Word program comes up, but the page is filled with gibberish. In the past I would click a .pdf file (always displayed with the proper Adobe Reader logo), Adobe Reader would pop up, and the file read as a normal pdf. Now, the only way I can read the .pdf file is to save it to the computer, open the Adobe Reader program, and I'm then able to pull up the saved file.

I do sometimes receive .doc or .docx files with the proper Word logo and they operate as normal. To hear there could be no conversion of file type is reassuring. On the other hand, I see all sorts of programs - fee-based and freeware - that do .pdf/Word and Word/.pdf conversions and I can't help but wonder if something like that has somehow infected my computer. Just thinkin' here.

Yeah, the guy to whom I paid $100 (he wanted $170 after he quoted me $100) was a waste of space and has ended up costing me much more than that. He wouldn't/won't return my phone calls and I notice his storefront is now out of business. I'm out in the boonies with only the locals for computer support. Geek Squad is 100 miles away. There is a Staples store, but those guys are idiots by reputation and experience.

Paul, you mention a firewall function in Windows Live Mail, which I use. I've not seen any warnings from the program suggesting the file to be opened or which is attached to an email is suspect.

Folks, I'm as close to being a computer illiterate as one can get (Luddite is my middle name). If I can get this issue fixed, then we can work on my inability to retrieve and make useful the zipped backup files this idiot saved to my auxiliary drive. I can't get them to make sense even after I've unzipped them.

Time to go whine some more.