How to open files that have unusual file extensions

Imagine you just downloaded a file from the internet or have a file on your PC that has an extension that you have never seen before. Now, you want to know as to which program or application can open this.I had faced this problem a few years back. I downloaded games with some extensions ( .7z and .sif ) that I had never seen before. I wanted to install the game. So, I did R&D by searching in google and found a website http://www.filext.com/

Just go to this site, type the extension and it will search from its database and show the applications that can read your file, sometimes you may find more than one application that can open the file.

I typed 7z in that site and came to know that if i download the software from http://www.7-zip.org/ then i can open .7z .file. More about it 7-ZIP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_archive_formats will show all available archive formats.

Now, got a file with an unknown extension, what will you do?
Go to http://www.filext.com and type the extension in the box.

Wait wait, there is a much more easier way.

Make FILExt your default unknown file extension search tool:

You go to FILExt Direct http://filext.com/fextend.php and download http://filext.com/filextextender/default-to-filext.exe

What happens when you run it?

It will make some registry changes. Next time if you find a file with an extension that has no association. (Under Windows XP if you double click on a file which Windows has no program association for you will be asked if you wish to find a program on your local computer or search the Internet. If you choose to search the Internet you are taken to a Microsoft page that directs you to a Windows Live search where you might find FILExt in the search results. Assuming the search contains the proper FILExt database page you finally come to the FILExt for that file extension)

below is the screenshot:

From now on (after executing the above default-to-filext.exe). If you choose to search the Internet, it will take directly to FileExt site.

Leave a comments or suggestions if you have.

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