# Internet Explorer opens .csv and .xls Files Instead of Downloading



## mathman1 (Aug 17, 2007)

When I am in a credit card web site and I try to download a statement in either .csv or .xls format, instead of getting the File Download pop up givng me the malicious software warning and the Find, Save, and Cancel option buttons, Internet Explorer opens the file through Excel. The directly opened files are unusable at this point since all the comma demarkations are ignored (.csv) or the .xls format is not what I wanted. Even more importantly, a malicious web page can trick you into downloading a malicious excel file and you don't have the File Download pop up page to tell you that it is attempting to do that! I cannot find a software switch that would require these files to respond correctly. The .dat file responds correctly. Mozilla Foxfire (installed due to problems with IE 7) prepares to download .csv and .xls files with the correct warning page and option buttons. I have two other newer computers which both work correctly with the IE browser. I would like to correct this problem.

Also, I do not have a clue what other file types may have been changed in this way and should be directed to the file download popup. This computer is not used that often and the problem may have been with it for years. My adult step children sometimes leave viruses that have to be removed and one of these may have operated the software to the malicious website's advantage. 

I am not sure if downloading to the computer only means that you are clicking a hyperlink and the file type being sent is one that the broswer lists as requiring the File Download popup allowing the user the download option.

My computer specs are:
Compaq Presario 6412us (athlon)
Windows XP Home Edition SP 2
Internet Explorer 6 SP2 (Did have IE 7 but removed to see if reloading would resolve the problem)

The title comes from microsoft article Q140991 refering to .exe files.


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## mathman1 (Aug 17, 2007)

I found my own solutions. One can reset the registry 3rd octet flag for the apparent master file type (.xls and not .csv) of the application (Excel) as per Microsoft article 140991. After being refered to article 238918, one is then refered to the Microsoft "Office Document Open Confirmation Tool" download site where you can run a program which will correctly set the registry flags of all the appropriate Microsoft Office files so that IE will ask permission to download or open any Microsoft Office files from a website.

Document 140991
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;140991

Document 238918
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/177976/EN-US/

Office Document Open Confirmation Tool
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=8B5762D2-077F-4031-9EE6-C9538E9F2A2F&displaylang=EN

I hope this helps someone else in the future.


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