[magicdash]

When I download something or open up any progamme, a "open with" window pops out.How can I avoid it?

[smax013]

magicdash said:

When I download something or open up any progamme, a "open with" window pops out.How can I avoid it?

Can you post a screen shot?



Does happen with EVERY thing that you download or just certain tihngs? If the latter, what kinds of things? Examples would be helpful.

[mphenterprises]

Hi MagicDash and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D




That pop up you see depends of the type of application or file you open. In general, you can go to Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types from within Windows Explorer to select the application in which you want a particular file to open. For more specific suggestions, please provide more detailed problems such as which particular files you experience these pop ups.

For future reference, the more information you provide from the beginning, the better and more effectively we can assist you.

[piyushsingh]

I think he's referring to a malware infection which brings up the "open with" dialog box every time a program is opened.

[mphenterprises]

Hi Piyush. I am not quite sure about that. I do know that Windows will provide a similar prompt when opening a file of an unknown origin; for example...a .doc file when Microsoft Word is not installed.

However, as you know, I really do not like to assume. The original post leaves a lot open to interpretation and this is where misunderstandings occur.

[piyushsingh]

hey mph
thats why you always tell people to provide as much details as possible required to get to the root of a problem. :D
I had assumed that the file associations are properly set . Lets see what the reply is .

[AuroraDizon]

Sorry if I didn't read this all throughly and its already been answered. The open with pops up when you don't have the file extensions associated. Just pick whatever you want to open it and make sure the remember this box is checked at the bottom of the screen. Also if you mess up and associate a file with one you don't want to open it with then just right click the icon and go to properties and open with > choose program > and use the "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file box.

[magicdash]

Hi Smax013,
That happens to everything I open.web browsers,documents,applications,everything!It looks like the pop up window is blocking me to open.

[mphenterprises]

Can you please provide a screen shot of this situation so we can all have a better idea to what you are referring? If you do not know how to submit a screen shot, please follow the steps within this Document {document:id=1144}.

[magicdash]

Dear mphenterprises,
I am unable to open paint.I have press the "print screen" button on my keyboard,click on the start menu and I have clicked on paint.But the "open with" poped up.I scroll through for the progamme paint but I ended up getting an error message saying: "C:WINDOWSsystem32mspaint.exe Paint cannot read this file.It is not a valid bitmap file,or its format not currently supported.".

[mphenterprises]

Okay, now I think we can start addressing the issue that Piyush brought up. It would appear you are infected with some form of malicious file. The first thing I would advise you to do is to access your computer from within Safe Mode to see if you get the same issue. If you are not sure how to access Safe Mode, follow the steps laid out within this Document {document:id=1093}.

[magicdash]

I have followed the instruction on "How do I boot my computer into Safe Mode?".I have booted my computer into safe mode,hitted enter twice and I ended up getting long messages from my computer and then it freezes.It lead me to no avail.

[mphenterprises]

I am not sure at what point you had to push Enter twice. Accessing Safe Mode does not require the use of the Enter key. What actually was the message you received?

[magicdash]

It requires to hit the enter key twice.Selecting Safe Modem,hit enter,and hit enter again to select the operating system.I did not note down the message,it came almost too fast for me to write it down.

[mphenterprises]

Oh, okay....I think the message you see is just a series of codes that scroll down the screen during the Safe Mode start up. You marked this Discussion as Answered, were you able to resolve the issue? If not, please detail where you stand as far as this issue is concerned.

[magicdash]

Nope,I have not resolve this question yet.By the way,what do you mean by: "please detail where you stand as this issue is far concerned.".

[mphenterprises]

I basically meant were you able to make any progress. So far, we really do not have enough information to provide any worthy troubleshooting options. So far, we know that this pop up occurs during the execution of every type of file. We know that you are unable to produce a screen shot and that Safe Mode is presumably not accessible. At this point, the only thing I can suggest is to try a System Restore to a date just before you noticed this issue.

Other than that, I would advise you to either run a thorough security scan with any security applications you have or take your computer to a local technician in your area.

[piyushsingh]

magicdash said:

Dear mphenterprises,
I am unable to open paint.I have press the "print screen" button on my keyboard,click on the start menu and I have clicked on paint.But the "open with" poped up.I scroll through for the progamme paint but I ended up getting an error message saying: "C:WINDOWSsystem32mspaint.exe Paint cannot read this file.It is not a valid bitmap file,or its format not currently supported.".

You were not able to do that in paint because you cannot open paint in paint . I hope you are getting what i meant by last line. Since all your applications are comming up with open with dialog, what you did earlier is tried to open paint in paint. Well, this is not your fault. There is definitely some messed up registry keys which are a result of malware infection.
If you want to get a screen shot , use this way. Rt click on desktop and create new bmp file there, then open it with paint using the right click open with way. Now you will be able to get in the screen shot there.
I m not sure whether you did all right for going to the safe mode or not but since you can boot normally into windows , try out some malware scans. Have a look at a few documents in the privacy section of the forum and perform some malware scans - mainly spyware scans.

[SpiritWind]

:D Hi "Magic" :





1st : Other than "Open With", what else, if anything, does the


PopUp window say ? 2nd : I recommend you try to run the Online Spyware Scanner at


www.ewido.net !? IF you are able to do so, PLEASE write down the SPECIFIC


Name(s) of ALL "Infection(s)" it finds, even IF the Scanner offers to "remove" what it finds .


P.S. I do NOT recommend you download any of the Products shown on that Site .

[magicdash]

So far,there has not been any progess at all.Neither the improvements nor the progesses is well.System Restore is only to make things worse,as I am afriad that it was wipe out all my data.I even could not perform a security scan as the "open with" is blocking everything,This is going on even worse and now,it is really a big problem to me.I guess,there is no other options but only one way to do-start from scratch.