All computer files have two names separated
by a dot (and DOS recognizes only 8 + 3
letters e.g. FILENAME.TXT)  The second
part of the name usually indicates File Type
e.g. PDF (Adobe), WPD (Word Perfect),
DOC (MS Word), TXT (ASCII and so on.)

Windows computers run fast because of
File Association.  (For explanation do
/ start / help / Index
type in box FILE EXTENSIONS
and read item ASSOCIATING WITH PROGRAMS.)

First you have to know the Type of any text
file you want to read, then (if new) you must
associate it with the right program to read it.
Some Windows installations are configured to
hide the file Type.  (This is a bad idea)
Reset this via
/ start / help index
FILE NAMES
read EXTENSIONS
and set the right Folder Option.

Post again telling us the Type of your mystery file.

Brace yourself for a deluge of bogus emails with
Swen virus attached (because you posted your
true address in a MS News group.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)

It is as Phillipson said, the file type is the last three characters of
the name, or whatever appears after the last dot. What is it?

For simple associations (just "open" I guess), you may...

(a) Highlight any file of that particular type
(b) Hold Shift & R-Clk it, to get "Open with...." again.
(c) Check the "Always open with..." box at bottom.
(d) Select the proper app from the window.

However, if you still don't know what to associate it with... To
disassociate it...

"START button, Settings, Folder Options, File Types tab".

Use the D-Arrow to slowly scroll the list, all the while looking for
that file type to appear at "Extension:". At long last, while it is
highlighted, click "Remove".