In Windows 95/98 to find out what opens a specific file type, double click on my computer, choose view on the top menu bar and click on folder options from the drop down menu. From the tabs select file types and it will open to show all the file types on your computer. Click on one of the file extensions which is the three letters that follows the dot at the end of a file name. Under file details it will show the file with its own icon, the file extension, and will explain what program will open the file. If there is no software program listed  to open the file, it may be that you do not have the necessary program installed on your computer or you will need to edit the file and set it to open with the correctprogram.

 

Often it is the software type that is needed rather than a particular software program. For example a .txt file extension would mean that you need a text editor, but not necessarily notepad, just as a .doc file can be opened by most word processors.

 

Sometimes you will have more than one of a certain type of software program, for instance, I have two word processors on my personal computer. Other times you may not have a default program listed to open a particular type of file extension. At any rate, there may be times you would like to change which program will open a particular file type of file.

 

Once you are certain which type of program is needed to open the file (indicated by the extension after the dot), you can do so at the same place you view the file types. Follow the steps above to get to the file types and once there click on edit. In the dialog box that opens write the word open in the empty space that says Actions above it.  Click edit and another dialog box opens. Here you can click on browse to select the program that you would like to open the selected file. Click ok, and ok again and ok a third  time to close out of folder options completely. The file will now automatically open into the program youselected as long as you chose a software program of the right type. Below are some common file extensions and theprograms that will open these files. For further information on file types visit the sites listed below:

 

File-Extensions.org
File Formats by Extensions
The File Extension Source

 

EXTENSION /OPENS WITH
.txt/Any text editor 
.doc/ASCII Word Processor
.rtf/Many word processors 
.pdf/Adobe's Acrobat Reader 
.zip/PKUnzip or WinZip
.avi/video(MS Windows)avi viewer
.avr/sound player
.BMF/image viewer       
.bmp/picture (Bitmap)picture viewer
.WAV/sound player
.exe Some ".exe" files are self-extracting. Binary Execute the file, and it will expand itself.