Resolved Text files appearing as IE files

A strange situation occurred I would like to terminate.

1)
I created text files then the next day they appeared as an Internet Explorer file in a a strange folder called My Computer.

But this is not the My Computer file from windows. The logo is not the compute but a file with a magnifying glass. It came up when I did a search.

I do not know why a text file should create an IE file.

Is this normal that using the Search function should produce a "My Computer" file?

2)
A second problem is that the folder into which I put the text files is empty.

the only way I could retrieve these files is through search.

3) Another thing happening is that when I open up the "containing folder" in the search window, all or many files that I opened the previous day come up. These include pdf files that I printed out.

I never printed the text files, so this is probably not a printer glitch.

Is there some way to tweak IE so this does not happen?

What happens when a file is turned into an IE file? Does that make it accessible on the internet?

Is this a hack?

 

Hi, were you using Word when the Text was created?
Was it saved to Documents which is normal Default on both my MS Word 2003 & 2007?
It sounds like your Search must have opened IE instead of computer internal.
Some one with more expertise in Word will come along as I can't think of any other reasons. Neil.

 

I use Word 2002 a lot. But I just created some files in OpenOffice Writer and the same thing happened. I do a search for them and I get these IE files in a folder called My Computer but not the My Computer folder with all the drives, etc. on the desktop.

 

Hello dispatch trophy,

Also
>when you make these files and save them, what extension do they have? (extension= the *.last 3 leters the file name ends with). Is it possible that you are saving these as HTML files?

>When doing a search, what search application are you using, the standard xp default or an application that made have installed.

>When you click to open or view these, what application are they opened in?

On a personal note: Please forgive any slowness in answering or solving this, it's been a while since many of us used XP. As for myself, I like to walk through or reproduce a users problem and am unable to do this on an XP system, at the moment.

 

Word 2002 does not give us that choice.

when you click on "open with" you get
- Recommended programs
- Other programs

there is a check box at the bottom of the window saying "always use the selected program to open this kind of file" I do not check that because it might prevent me from accessing the file if one file type is for some reason inoperative.

 

I create them in notepad if that is what I want or OpenOffice, etc. That is the extension they have.

I use the search function that comes with Windows XP.

They always open in the file type I chose.

No problem. Thank you for your attention.

My concern is that if an IE copy is being made of them, they will be readable on the internet.

 

Hi DT, have you had a look in Microsoft Word 2002 Support Centre?
Here's a link where you can check to make sure you have all the Updates for vulnerabilities:http://support.microsoft.com/ph/3253

There may be an answer for you. Neil.

 

does this make my text files readable?

 

Going back to your first thread and on reread, it sounds as if your trying to work with your text files from the results of a list found when doing a search for such. The text file with an overlayed magnifying glass would also be a find/search file link. I can't quite get a good grip or understanding and am not exactly sure what you are doing, while working with text files but it sounds normal if your working with these in a search list. Your expectation of the results maybe wrong or misunderstood. Perhaps a closer look on how you are handling your files should be changed such as saving these in your "MY Documents" folder, possibly organised in subfolders. Do this directly and not through a search from address bar or browser.

I have no explanation for the vanishing files but must ask if you have taken the time to change your view settings to show extension, system and hidden folders?
See:
Make sure you have adjusted or set your folder options to show system and hidden folders. See:
Set your folder>view options s shown,
1>Click on My Computer icon or right click startbutton and choose "explore ".
2>click on menu toolbar> "tools "
3>click on "Folder options "
4>click on "View" Tab:
5>and scroll to the [Hidden Files and Folders] section and enable or disable the options below by unchecking or checking as designated:
"Do Not show hidden files "=unchecked (or click the "show hidden files ")
"hide file extensions for known files "=unchecked

----------------------------------
Is it possible that you are describing the old problem of double clicking a file and having it open as a search file rather than open in it's associated program?
See:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/windows-xp/44054-file-folders-icon-problem.html#post236046

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Other than the above Do as TonyT suggested earlier and associate the default application for txt to always use notepad.

 

If Malwarebytes misses this, is there another way I can check for these things? I don't think I have #3.

I have just done a test of the Search function and this time no IE files came up.

There are 2 types of document search:
1) "Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) "
2) "All files and folders "

 

I could not find "Microsoft (Windows) Messenger in Startup. But I recall having gone to great pains to remove Messenger a few weeks ago because it is so intrusive.

I found another process "STK03N PNP Monitor" that I believe came from a USB camera that did not work. So I disabled this. I hope that was the right move.

I have no WiFi.

Is there anything I should look for in File and Printer settings, and where would these be?

No one has connected a wire to my router.

 

Tony T

thanks for this. In my latest uses of Search, I have not seen this occurrence again, but I would still like to know how it happened.