HELP!!

A friend of mine has been making some music and has tried to send me samples clips via MSN, he tried mp3 and wma and when I download and try to open I get a message from windows security saying my file is blocked as it MAY be harmfull etc.

I have tried to find info on this and all I could find was a statement saying that it is part of SP2 and you cant disable it!!

Anyone know anything about this or a way to get round it, I really wish I hadnt installed sp2 now. More and more after updates Microsoft seem to think they know best and think they can make the desicion for me as to what I download and open!!

A friend of mine has been making some music and has tried to send me samples clips via MSN, he tried mp3 and wma and when I download and try to open I get a message from windows security saying my file is blocked as it MAY be harmfull etc.

58267[/snapback]

Not sure on this one, as I don't use XP and avoid it if I can at all costs, but could he not email them instead? Fairly certain that files in emails will open OK if you tell outlook\outlook express that you want to open attachments.

Usually, from when I've had to use XP, it comes up with a 'are you sure you want to open this' message, but that's mainly for .exe files. I'd have thought that MP3 and WMA files would be less harmful then executables, but that's Windows!

More and more after updates Microsoft seem to think they know best and think they can make the desicion for me as to what I download and open!!

58267[/snapback]

That's why I hate XP, and my main reason for not using it.

I went to the MS update site and there were no updates, so checked my system and last time i updated it must have set itself to auto update, It most definately wasn't me that turned it on as I make sure that I decide what I do with my OS usually.

He did mail me the files and I did get the usuall warning which let me open them, it just seems to be msn file transfers that get blocked.

and only over the last month or so I reckon.

Im gonna keep searching a solution and when i find it i'll post it here.

Control panel, firewall settings (new **** feature in XPSP2) select the type of files you want it to ignore .WMA .MP3 and it should let them through.

Hmm, I have had a look at the firewall settings and it doesnt mention anything about filetypes, I dont use windows firewall and I dont think my problem is connected to the firewall but something else to do with the windows security centre.

Will keep looking, thanks for advice so far.

Tell your mate to ZIP the files and send them that way, XP won't stop the download of them or stop you unzipping them later.

Yeah good idea dave, but the principle of M$ deciding what I can and can't download is frustrating.

I know I could always switch to Linux but thats not really what I want to do at the moment.

Its an updated section in Outlook Express causing the files to be blocked.

Outlook Express - Tools - Options - Security -

Uncheck: DO NOT ALLOW ATTACHMENTS TO BE SAVED THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A VIRUS.

Dunno why, but Messenger shares the setting..

Its not that dave, unchecked allready unfortunately

Rich, you could try installing "File Extension Unblocker" attached here (I scanned the file for viruses & installed on my XP Pro SP2 system first). It changes registry key LowRiskFileTypes (REG_SZ)found under: \\HKey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations

All it does is changes the flag of potentially "unsafe" files to safe.You can still take out the ones you think may not be safe ie. exe, bat, com, vbs, etc...

extfix_www.mess.be_.zip