Setting up Window to alway use"software" to open stuff

I can't get Windows to use my Adobe reader to open a PDF; MS word to open Doc and other software to open other files.

My Adobe, MS Word. Photoshop, Nero ect.. all reside on an external hard drive. When I use Windows Open With feature and use the Browse button to get to the software. I plot along just fine and after clicking OK, nothing happens and nothing is set-up. Is the issue the fact that the software is on an external? Is there something I can do to make this work for me?

Thank you

Hi and welcome to the WTT forums.

Sorry to hear of the problems with your machine.

It is possible to run some applications from an external USB drive but it is not always straightforward,

Most applications will try to install to your C drive and you will need to be pretty quick on your feet and also quite lucky to get them all to run if installed on an external drive
More information is available on this from here:
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_install_programs_…rnal_drive.html

If you think that the machine in question is infected then you should follow the directions here:
http://forums.whatthetech.com/Welcome_New_…ers_t34502.html (How to download HJT and where to post it)

Once you have followed the directions and posted your HJT log in the appropriate forum (not here please, as we don't analyse logs here in this sub-forum) it's important that you wait until you receive a response before making any further posts in that thread as the malware fighters look first for topics with zero responses.
Regards
paws

File associations (what program open whats file extension) can be modified by opening My Computer, clicking the Tools menu, Folder Options, and the File Types tab. Try associating the .PDF with the program on your external drive, etc.

File associations (what program open whats file extension) can be modified by opening My Computer, clicking the Tools menu, Folder Options, and the File Types tab.

Try associating the .PDF with the program on your external drive, etc.

Yes and this pops up the "Open With" window and it's here that I have the issue. Browsing to my external drive where Adobe reader resides doesn't work.

Hi and welcome to the WTT forums.

Sorry to hear of the problems with your machine.

It is possible to run some applications from an external USB drive but it is not always straightforward,

Most applications will try to install to your C drive and you will need to be pretty quick on your feet and also quite lucky to get them all to run if installed on an external drive
More information is available on this from here:
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_install_programs_…rnal_drive.html

If you think that the machine in question is infected then you should follow the directions here:
http://forums.whatthetech.com/Welcome_New_…ers_t34502.html (How to download HJT and where to post it)

Once you have followed the directions and posted your HJT log in the appropriate forum (not here please, as we don't analyse logs here in this sub-forum) it's important that you wait until you receive a response before making any further posts in that thread as the malware fighters look first for topics with zero responses.
Regards
paws

So I read through ask-leo's site and now I ponder the thought that Windows will not boot unless I unplug the external drive and then replug it in after Windows launches. This may or may not be why I can't get Adobe to open the PDF. What steps should I take to get Windows and the external Hard drive to boot up nicely?

File associations (what program open whats file extension) can be modified by opening My Computer, clicking the Tools menu, Folder Options, and the File Types tab.

Try associating the .PDF with the program on your external drive, etc.

Yes and this pops up the "Open With" window and it's here that I have the issue. Browsing to my external drive where Adobe reader resides doesn't work.

I haven't read through any of the links provided. There is really only one question to ask. Is your idea that you could install these programs on this external hard drive and then plug the drive into a different computer and use those programs?

There are virtually no programs, besides the simplest of utilities, available that don't require that they be installed on the machine they will run on and add files to your system as well as modify your registry to function properly.

If your idea is that you will install a program on an external drive, then take that drive and plug it into a different computer and run the program from the external drive - it will not work. There's nothing else to explain if that is the case.

I haven't read through any of the links provided. There is really only one question to ask. Is your idea that you could install these programs on this external hard drive and then plug the drive into a different computer and use those programs?

There are virtually no programs, besides the simplest of utilities, available that don't require that they be installed on the machine they will run on and add files to your system as well as modify your registry to function properly.

If your idea is that you will install a program on an external drive, then take that drive and plug it into a different computer and run the program from the external drive - it will not work. There's nothing else to explain if that is the case.

No i'm not tring to plug into a different computer and run the program. This is my home CPU with an external Hard drive. All programs where installed using the original CD and setting them on the external hard drive. I'm not unplugging and moving the hard drive around to other PCs.