When using IE if I click on a ZIP link I can only Save but not Open

[Guest_imported]

I have Windows98, IE6, and WinZip 8.0. Whenever I click on a link on a web page that points to a ZIP file, the "File Download" dialog box opens with the message "Would you like to open the file or save it to your computer?". However, I can only click on "Save" because the "Open" button is grayed out.

It makes no difference whether there is a check in the "Always ask before opening this type of file" box. This only happens with ZIP files. Other files (i.e. EXE files) will give me both the "Open" and "Save" option.

In Folder Options > File Types tab, if I select WinZip and Edit, the "Confirm open after download" is checked of course. This is why I get the "File Download" dialog box when I click on a ZIP link. If I uncheck it, the file automatically downloads and opens in WinZip. I don't want that. I want the option to either "Open" or "Save" because sometimes I merely want to view the contents of a ZIP file, but other times I want to save it to my hard drive.

I've been trying a number of different edits in the Registry to no avail. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else that has the same problem, or even better if someone can provide a solution. Thanks.

 

[smitee]

From Newsgroups...this MAY help

......"Actually with WinZip you can configure this option from within WinZip. Open
WinZip, and go to Options \ Internet Browser Configuration.

If that doesn't help -

Open Windows Explorer, and go to View | Folder Options | File Types tab. Try
selecting the ZIP file type and click Edit; from there, check "Confirm ...".
The next time the dialog pops up choose "Open from ..." and uncheck the "ask
again" box..........

smitee

 

[Guest_imported]

I'm using WinZip 8.0 and I don't have the option "Internet Browser Configuration". Maybe you need to have that WinZip browser plug-in. I had that a couple of years ago and I didn't like it. It opened ZIP files automatically (which I don't want), and it couldn't be uninstalled.

Regarding the "Confirm open after download" box. If I have it checked, I'm prompted with the "File Download" box (which is what I want), but the "Open" button is grayed out. I want both options -- "Open" AND "Save", not just "Save". I have both options if I click on a link pointing to an EXE file. And if "Confirm..." is unchecked, the ZIP file downloads and then automatically opens in WinZip.

Basically I want both options when I click on a ZIP file -- "Open" and "Save". Sometimes I want to merely view the contents of a ZIP file, and other times I want to save the ZIP to my hard drive. I know that I can move the ZIP after it opens in WinZip, and I know I can right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As...", but I'm trying to figure out how to enable or restore the "Open" button.

And I know that the file is downloaded to my computer before it opens, but that's an issue here. I just want to figure out a way to make it so that the "Open" button is not grayed out.

 

[Guest_imported]

I'd be interested to hear from others what options they are presented with when they click on ZIP link or an EXE link. And mention which browser and ZIP utility you are using. Like this...


I'm using Internet Explorer 6.0 with WinZip 8.0.

When I click on an EXE link:

Open - YES
Save - YES


When I click on a ZIP link:

Open - NO (button is grayed out)
Save - YES

 

[Guest_imported]

I posted this question on a number of Computer Help message boards. Someone (by the name of KB) offered an explanation in this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=33&threadid=746906&STARTPAGE=1

Here is what KB said...

The "Open" button became grayed out for me after I installed the IE 6.0 security fixes. I believe it was part of Microsofts "fix" because of a hole in the IE browser that allowed a web administrer to fake the file andd extension of a downloaded file. So if you selected to open from its current location what looked like a Zip file and it was an exe file, it would run and cause a security risk.

 

[Guest_imported]

I'd still be interested to hear from anyone that knows how to change it back.

.....

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