Hi all, Dumb question here, I recently had to install a new hard drive, since I restored my files, when I try to open a picture file it always opens in Explorer and starts the dial up process, just by clicking on a file! Why is it doing this and how do I change it? Please be very explicit when giving instructions, I am not very good at this computer stuff, kind of like I am good at driving, but don't really know what goes on under the hood of the car! Thanks!!!!!!!

your PC is set up to dial when the internet browser opens. right click the icon for internet explorer. click on the connections tab. click in the white dot next to never dial a connection. (it will put a little black dot in it.) click on apply then ok. Now it will not dial when you open internet explorer. you will have to dial your ISP manually. open my computer. open dial up networking. right click your ISP connection and select create shortcut. You will get a box saying something about cant create a shortcut here would you like the shortcut on your desktop. select yes. Close the 2 windows. you can now double click the short cut to dial out.

Install a picture viewing program and your pics should open in the new ap instead of IE. Many are available at free download sites. ACDSEE is a good one.

Further to John's post.... which program do wish would open these particular graphics files? If you remember the program, and you have re-installed it: 1 - highlight (make blue) one of the graphics files in My Computer (Explorer is a much better choice) 2 - while holding the Shift key, right-click that same file 3 - this will bring up the Context Menu, and this time it will include Open with... 4 - click on "Open with..." and a dialogue box will show up that has 2 things happening... a Scroll-down menu (to your program) and a checkbox where you can select "Always open with...". 5 - Now if you click OK, that graphics format (e.g.: gif) will always open in that program, NOT IExplorer. 6 - repeat step 5 for each different format you want to alter... heat

Hello, John, I followed your instructions, the circle was "dotted" for "never dial a connection"; I rechecked it anyway and clicked "apply", I got off line and tried it and it still dials out. Is there something else I can try? Thank you so much for your help and patients!

ok, if you click on the "E"(explorer)icon does it come up with a dial-up connection box, if it does, does it have two places for you to put a check mark..one would be save my password, the other would say something like dial automaticly(uncheck that one if checked). next try start>settings>control panel, double click on that and go to Internet Options,click on that,click on the connections tab,you should only have one thing"button"filled in 'always dial my default connection'and a check mark at always perform systems security check before dialing. ok,while you are on that page look up and see that you have something designated as your default dialer, just click on it to hightlight it if it is not already hightlighted, then press settings button to the right, nothing on that page should have a check on it(unless you have a proxy, which is on the lower half of the page). Here is a last resort, start>settings>control panal>add/remove, double click on that, scroll down to where it says Microsoft internet explorer 5.5 and internet tools, double click on that and select 'Repair Internet Explorer', it will repair itself and you'll have to restart. Good luck, Erin

thank you very much for all your help, everything is working fine now!!!