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Why won't firefox open .pdf or .doc files.

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I've gone to Tools - Options - Applications and selected the releivant programmes to open the file extention but firefox refuses to use them, each time I try to open a file it defaults to the last file extention used and then Word and Adobe even an option in the available programme list so I have to navigate to C: Program Files etc.... to find the correct programme again!

I've gone to Tools - Options - Applications and selected the releivant programmes to open the file extention but firefox refuses to use them, each time I try to open a file it defaults to the last file extention used and then Word and Adobe even an option in the available programme list so I have to navigate to C: Program Files etc.... to find the correct programme again!

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Do those file open in the correct program if you save them and open them in Windows Explorer with a double click?

You can try to remove the current MIME settings in Firefox and start with a new actions list.
See "Reset Download Actions": http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions

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Thanks cor-el, .pdf, .doc, .xls etc... all open fine with windows explorer. I've reset the MIME settings and its still the same, it doesn’t matter what the file type is Firefox keeps recognizing it as a "Firefox Document" and defaults to the last file type I opened regardless of the "Do this automatically....." tick box. The really annoying thing is the list of programmes in the "Choose Helper Application" popup window is hopeless as it contains things like "Nero Backup", "Cover Designer", "RAR Extractor" etc...... Any more sugestions? R.