Internet Explorer Opens .exe Files Instead of Downloading Them

ID: Q140991

The information in this article applies to:

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

When you try to download an executable (.exe) file in Microsoft Internet Explorer, the file may be opened instead of downloaded.


CAUSE

In versions of Internet Explorer earlier than Internet Explorer 4.0, when you first choose to download a file in Internet Explorer, you receive a Confirm File Open dialog box. The Always ask before opening this type of file check box in this dialog box is selected.

If you clear the "Always ask before opening this type of file" check box, the registry entry for this setting is changed and you do not see the Confirm File Open dialog box in subsequent download sessions. Instead, Internet Explorer automatically opens files instead of downloading them.


RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).
To work around this behavior, use the appropriate method:

Method 1

Right-click the link for the file you want to download, and then click Save Target As.

Method 2

Enable the Always ask before opening this type of file option. To do so, use Registry Editor to modify the third octet for the EditFlags value in the Hkey_Classes_Root\exefile key from 01 to 00.

NOTE: This method does not work if you are using Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later.

For example, change the EditFlags value from d8 07 01 00 to d8 07 00 00.

NOTE: The edit flag for Word documents is in the following location:

   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.6]
   @="Microsoft Word 6.0 - 7.0 Document" "EditFlags"=hex:00,00,01,00

Change 01 in the third octet to 00.


MORE INFORMATION

The first time you click a link to download an .exe file in versions of Internet Explorer earlier than Internet Explorer 4.0, you receive a Confirm File Open dialog box. The Always ask before opening this type of file check box in this dialog box is selected. If you are sure it is safe to open the file, click Open. To save the file to disk, click Save As.

If you clear the Always ask before opening this type of file check box, you are no longer prompted whether or not to open a file. Instead, the file is opened automatically.

If you disable the prompt for ActiveMovie files (this includes any file type that uses ActiveMovie such as .wav, .mov, and .avi files), the registry key that needs to be modified is: 


   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AMOVIE.ActiveMovie.Control.1

Change the EditFlags value from 00 00 01 00 to 00 00 00 00.

If you are running Internet Explorer 4.0 later, the registry key that needs to be modified is: 


   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AMOVIE.ActiveMovieControl.2

Change the EditFlags value from 00 00 01 00 to 00 00 00 00.

If you are running Windows Media Player version 5.2, the registry key that needs to be modified is: 


   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MediaPlayer.MediaPlayer.1

Change the EditFlags value so that it is all zeros or a zero value.

The Always ask before opening this type of file check box is not displayed in Internet Explorer 4.0 and later.

For more information about downloading other types of files, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q177976 Cannot Specify Download Directory for File

Additional query words: winnt save this program to disk 


Keywords          : kbenv kbui winplus win95 msiew95 msient 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01,4.01 Service Pack 1,5,95; winnt:4.0
Platform          : WINDOWS winnt 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: April 2, 1999