# Suddenly unable to open jpeg files



## edugan (Jul 16, 2001)

i recently started to not be able to open any jpeg files. when i click on the file a download box opens for a split second then blips off. what happened and what can i do to fix it?


----------



## brianF (Dec 2, 1999)

First I would run an uptodate virus scan just to be sure

To open the file try this, navigate to one of the files, hold the shift key down and right click, you should get the open with option, choose it, scroll down the list until you find lexplore, select it, make sure the check box on the bottom of the menu is unchecked, open the file. If it opened correctly do it again, this time check the box to make it default.


----------



## edugan (Jul 16, 2001)

Thanks, i'll try that tonight.


----------



## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

I'm not sure whether this MS article was meant to address your problem or a similar one; moreover the suggested "workaround" is none too clear.

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q221/0/66.ASP?

But just for the heck of it try this and see what happens. Right click on an image link and select "properties" from the dialoag. From the properties page copy and paste the url into your address bar. Hit "enter" to load the address. Does the image appear in an IE window? What happens the next time you do a normal left click on an image link?

Have you tried running the IE Repair Tool?

Also, first and foremost, if the problem just began in the last few days, try restoring a prior registry. If you have Win98 you can do this easily by restarting in ms-dos mode and at the prompt enter:

scanreg /restore

select a started registry which predates the problem (there are up to 5 days backups)

Any settings changes or installs after that date will need to be redone.


----------



## edugan (Jul 16, 2001)

i'll try this, so far nothing is working. what is so weird is what is happening when i try to open these files. it doesnt matter if i double click a .jpg file in a folder or i right click then open or i shift+right click, open with it doesn't open. what happens is a file download box opens for a split second( not long enough for me to see what is really happening)then its gone and it doesnt open. now i have no problems finding these files and opening them in paint, picture it or photo impressions( program i got with my HP215 camera). and, i do already have the file types correct and .jpeg's open with iexplore.
How do i get into the IE repair tool?
This is driving me nuts, HELP


----------



## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

If restoring a previous registry is not an option (they only go back 5 days), I don't think IE Repair will help, as I probably misunderstood you, thinking the issue was just occuring with online images. (If you have IE Repair, it is usually accessed through add\remove IE, after clicking 'remove' the option to Repair is given. But it is not available on all versions.)

The site below, although largely for WinMe has a set of image repair reg files that should work for all Windows versions. It is in their image.cab file. Download and open it with Winzip. Double click the jpeg repair.reg files to merge them. Test your ability to open after each one.

If the patches seem to make anything worse or cause some addtional problem (I don't think they will), restart in ms-dos mode and enter:

scanreg /restore

http://members.home.net/winhelp98/repair98.htm


----------



## edugan (Jul 16, 2001)

i'm currently at work and i will try that as i get home tonight. does anyone have any other ideas i can use tonight? has this happened to anyone else?


----------



## edugan (Jul 16, 2001)

i did the IE repair and it seems to have fixed the problem. i just dont know what started it.


----------



## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

One of the things the IE Repair tool does is register the shdoc401 file which is involved in opening image files (it's a fix often suggested for loss of ability to view "previews") -- so that may be why it worked here.

In any case it's nice to hear you have IE Repair and that it seems to have solved the problem 

As to why it happened, just another unsolved Windows mystery...


----------

