# "How do you want to open this file?" dialog box



## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

Recently upgraded a Windows 7 PC to Windows 10.

Since upgrading, I get random Windows dialog boxes asking "How do you want to open this file?" Usually happens while using Chrome or IE, but I can't say for sure it hasn't popped up while not surfing.

Below the open file question, it lists several program choices such as Adobe, Google, IE, etc. Oddly enough, it doesn't show the name of the file it's wanting to open.

Fearing it may be malware, I have only tried selecting Notepad, which gives a message "Cannot find the C:\Program.txt file. Do you want to create a new file?" So I click "Cancel."

Any ideas or suggestions for what this may be and how to resolve?

Thanks.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

It should be appearing when you download something like an app or Email attachment.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

As Corday said, this will happen if you arer downloading a file or a program needs to run to access a file. Save the file to your download location and right click it and choose properties. Look at the file _Extension _(eg) .pdf, .txt etc and google that to see what program opens it. If it is a .PDF you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. etc.


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## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

Sorry, should have been more specific.

I'm not intentionally downloading anything when this happens. Chrome and/or IE will be open, and at random times, the dialog box I attached the image of pops up. Maybe it's a some kind of script from a website?

I was/am afraid something sinister may be going on. I have run scans with Norton and Malware Bytes. They came up clean, and I haven't noticed any weird behavior, though, so I'm hoping it's just something weird from Windows 10 upgrade.

Any ideas on how to figure out what file is attempting to dowoad? Or if it's another program requesting a file, how to figure out which one?


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Delete any downloads you don't need (probably all of them).


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## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

OK. I'm assuming you mean files from the downloads folders for Chome and IE. I'm away from the subject PC tonight. I'll do so in the morning and wait and see if it returns and then report back.

Thanks.


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## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

*Deleted downloads, still getting the open file dialog box.*

I deleted the downloads from Chrome and IE and also the files in the downloads folder of the user directory, but I'm still getting the dialog box.

Any suggestions for figuring out what's generating the dialog box?


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Take a look in One Drive and see what you've saved. There might be a file waiting action.


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## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

I've never used One Drive, so I'm not signed in.

Could it still have an action pending if I'm not signed in?

I right-clicked on the system tray icon and hit exit, though, just in case.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Not likely. See if one of the other choices opens the file. Even if it's malware, we can take care of that later.


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## gh1138 (Jan 29, 2009)

Next time the open file box popped up, I chose Chrome, but I got an error message saying the file couldn't be opened.

The next time it popped up, I chose IE. Nothing happened that I could tell, but I didn't get the pop-up again for the 2 additional hours I used the PC.

It's a personally-owned PC I keep at work, so I won't use it again until Monday. Hopefully the IE choice solved the problem, but I'll test it for longer and Monday and report back.

Thanks.


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