What kinds of files are they? Can you see the file extensions? Windows may be hiding those, unhide them using the steps in this Microsoft support article: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/wi.../show-hide-file-name-extensions.

If Firefox does not think it can open a file, forcing it to try can create that infinite loop problem. You may be able to remove the dysfunctional association in the Options dialog:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Applications

Or if it can't be found there, you can delete the settings file that Firefox uses to store the associations to return to the default settings for unrecognized files. Here's how:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• Help menu > Troubleshooting Information

In the first table on the page, click the "Show Folder" button

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "power" button
• File menu > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename mimeTypes.rdf to something like mimeTypes.old

Then you can start Firefox back up again and it should create a fresh mimeTypes.rdf file.

Hi, thanks for yor advice. I went through to renaming to mimeType.old etc. however when i click on it (right or left) to open i get a page of gobblegook and at top saying' no style info associated.......etc'. Have selected for it to be opened in F.fox by the way. Also the other mime file - rdf - is still there as well, should i delete that yet? I also checked the extensions and the file, for eg, i want to open has .wps after it which i presume is word processor as it was/is a letter i wrote. thanks for any further help you can give. Gill

Hi gillkilroy, don't open mimeTypes.rdf. It isn't meant to be edited by hand. To rename, I would right-click it and choose Rename from the menu.

If your WPS files were created in Microsoft Works then you can open them in a more full-featured word processor such as:

• Microsoft Office (not free) Word - How to open a Works 6.0, a Works 7.0, a Works 8.0, or a Works 9.0 word processing document in Word
• Apache OpenOffice (free) Writer - http://www.openoffice.org/ Turns out OpenOffice cannot open them directly without an additional converter
• LibreOffice (free) Writer - http://www.libreoffice.org/

Once that program is installed, it might register itself to handle .wps automatically. If not, Windows 8 has a way to associate a file extension with a program (I don't recall where that is now).

Hi, have downloaded Apache (don't want to spend money on Windows one). I had already renamed the mimes type rdf, to mimes type.old as you suggested, so i now have both listed. however i still have same thing happening as per last two mails - nothing has changed - do i need to do anything re the Apache download which is all completed, to make things happen?

When you run the installer for Apache OpenOffice, it should create a shortcut on your desktop for the "Writer" program. Then, instead of trying to open WPS files through Firefox, start up Writer and try opening them through Writer.

When i go onto Apache, the only choices i get are: Text Doc., Spreadsheet, Presentation, Drawing, Database, Formula, Templates. and Open which i tried, but it goes to a window called 'Filter Section' , but cannot seem to open anything with this window.

Oh no, I steered you wrong there.

I see now from the following pages that OpenOffice cannot open WPS directly without some additional help, but that LibreOffice can:

• https://wiki.openoffice.org/wiki/Documentation/FAQ/Writer/DocumentManagement/How_can_I_open_Microsoft_Works_wordprocessor_files_%28.wps%29%3F
• Convert from WPS to OpenOffice - Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

If you only have a few documents and the contents are not highly personal, those list a website that will convert them. If you have a lot, then it would make sense to remove OpenOffice and get LibreOffice instead.

Yipee!! it worked. took a while to install for some reason, but it made it in the end, and was able to open the file i wanted no problems. also checked others incase and it seems okay. it has slowed things up a tad, but think i need to clean up some stuff. After losing everything last time i attempted this (and asked for your help then to get my Bookmarks back etc), i am putting it off! thanks again for your help.