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Question

A problem I can't solve

Sep 7, 2012 12:03AM PDT

Hello everyone,

I suddenly find I can't open any .jpg, .bmp or gif files and I can't open some .doc files too. Nothing will open any pic files I've tried Windows P&F Viewer, Irfan View, Fireworks, Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer etc. etc. believe me I've tried everything and nothing will open them. Some report "Unknown file type" some report "cannot read header" some "preview unavailable", I've hundreds of files collected over the years and the problem began a couple of days ago. I've checked the file associations and run all my security softwares and everything reports OK. I've not download and installed any new programmes recently. Operating system is Windows XP home version SP3. Has anyone any idea what may be causing this problem please and more importantly how to put it right?

Kind regards,

Oliver

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Too slim on clues.
Sep 7, 2012 1:30AM PDT

But you write you tried everything so did you go get HIJACKTHIS to create a log file then proceed to understand each line in the log file then ask others or google the lines you didn't understand?

I've done that too many times and found odd things, conflicts in software (Teatimer being one of the more famous ones) and more.

-> In parting. You may not have downloaded anything new but those security apps, Microsoft do that for you.
Bob

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Answer
Re: can't open pics and some docs
Sep 7, 2012 1:38AM PDT

So you run such a program, from the menu use File>Open, browse to a file it used to open and it gives such an error. Then the assumption is the file is corrupted.

Now on another PC copy a non-corrupted picture or document to your USB-stick, make it read-only, check that you can open it there and - if all is fine - repeat the above experiment, browsing to that file on that USB-stick. What happens?

Of course, you've got a backup copy of all these files collected over the years, so - once this problem is solved and everything is working again - you've lost nothing. But it is certainly is a nuisance.

Kees