I recently had the computer cleaned for viruses. When it came back, I've had the problem of not receiving Word files as normal word files. They come in as .pdf files instead and are a bunch of gibberish when I open them up. Only about one in ten Word files sent actually come in as .doc or .docx files. I have to resort to right-clicking on the attachment and saving the file to the computer. Then I can open it using the Adobe Reader XI.

I have reloaded the Adobe Reader and reloaded the Office 2010 for Home and Students. What the hell is going on and how can I get this fixed?



Thanks for your response.

If these files are being received as PDFs, that's because they were sent that way. Neither Windows nor Office has a mechanism for converting email attachments to a different file format while they are still attached to the emails. As for the inability to open such attachments without first saving them, that might be a function of your email app's security settings. Windows Live Mail, for example, has a setting that prevents the opening of attachments that could contain viruses.

On the whole, your reference to 'I recently had the computer cleaned for viruses' suggests whoever did this cleaning took it upon themselves to change some of your email settings.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

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.

What you're now describing suggests someone has changed the PDF file association from Acrobat to Word. Your PC didn't do that of its own accord. To fix it, see:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6951971_fix-...sociation.html

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

That did it, Paul. I knew it was going to be something a few clicks away, I'm just too retro to know where.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.

I began having this same problem. Unfortunately when I clicked on the TechWalla link a "home page" type page opened, and I was unable to find this specific solution.


Would you please provide an updated link? I would be ever so appreciative.

R/click a PDF file icon > Properties > Change > Make a selection from programs Shown > OK > OK.
You may need to use the More apps option or the Look for another app on this PC to navigate to/locate your preferred PDF Editor/Viewer.