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Norton Ghost 14 will not open .GHO files

Norton Ghost GHO Files

GHO files are backup image files used by Norton Ghost. The Norton Ghost program creates a snapshot, or image, of the hard drive and its contents. You can later use the .gho file to recover the entire hard drive or individual files. There are some limitations with GHO files including maximum file sizes of 2 GB. For drives larger than 2 GB, a series of GHO files will be created with a file naming system of either Filename.gho, Filename001.ghs, Filename002.ghs or Filename.gho, Filename.001, Filename.002 depending on the version of Ghost used. In addition to file size limitations, GHO files can also be encrypted for security reasons.   

However, it’s unlikely that encryption is the issue. In fact, the reason why Ghost 14 will not open your GHO file is because this version of Ghost does not support .gho files! It sounds crazy that Norton Ghost will not open .gho files which are “ghost” files, doesn’t it? It’s true though. The .gho format is no longer supported by Norton Ghost 12.0 and above. This older format was used by Norton Ghost 2003 and earlier versions of the software. Newer versions of Ghost as well as Norton’s Save and Restore 2.0 product use a new format, .v2i files, for creating backup images.

Restoring GHO Files

Don’t worry, you’re not completely out of luck. Even though you have Ghost 14.0, you can still restore your .gho files by downloading a product called Ghost Explorer from the Symantec website. Simply download Ghost Explorer, save it to your desktop and then launch it by double-clicking the GHO_Explorer.exe file. You may be prompted with a warning. If so, click Run.

Once the program is installed, go to the menu bar and click on File followed by Open. Now, browse to your .gho file, highlight it and click on Open. You’ll see the contents of the .gho file displayed in the Ghost Explorer’s main pane. Highlight the files that you want to recover and then go back to the File menu and click on Extract. You’ll be prompted to select a location to restore the files. Select the location and then click on Extract.

I need help opening an ex4 file.

The Ex4 File Extension

The file extension .ex4 is often used in conjunction with Forex trading software, specifically MetaTrader software. However, this extension is often used as a script, library file, indicator, and expert advisor, so it’s not always clear whether the file should be opened or not.

MetaTrader and MQL4

MetaTrader software incorporates a programming language known as MQL4 and extends that language to the end user, the trader. As a trader using MetaTrader software, it is possible to create your own scripts, indicators, and automated trading systems known as Expert Advisors.

MQL4 has its own unique file system and structure. The .ex4 file must be located in the appropriate folder in order to work properly. These folder locations also give you your first indication as to the .ex4 file’s purpose. For example, if located in the Scripts folder, the .ex4 file is a script that can be edited and compiled. Most often, .ex4 files are the compiled programs that are ready to be launched in the MetaTrader client software. However, since they can also be used as library files, it’s possible that the .ex4 file that you are working with is not an actual program that MetaTrader can open.

Opening Ex4 Files

These files can be opened using the MetaEditor. If you are comfortable with MQL4, you can check the file’s location within the MQL4 hierarchy and determine whether it is a library file, indicator, or Expert Advisor file. From there, you can either use MetaEditor to open and edit the file or launch the Expert Advisor file in MetaTrader. You may also be able to use a standard text editor such as NotePad to view and work with the file.

If you are not familiar with MQL4, the MQL4 Community has a terrific resource called the MQL4 Book that you can either view online or download as a free ebook.

I have a Toshiba with Windows Vista. My problem is that when I download a zip file and go to open it up I get a message saying “Application Not Found.” The standard zip file icon doesn’t even show up. Instead it shows a blank page with the corner folded down. Why can’t I download zip files?

Trouble Unzipping Zip Files

Two possibilities come to mind. The first is that your computer may not have a utility installed capable of unzipping .zip files and the second is that the file association may have been lost. Let’s explore these possibilities and see if we can get those files unzipped once and for all.

Zip File Utilities in Windows Vista

Since you have Windows Vista, your computer is already set up to unzip files directly from within Windows Explorer. You do not need a special utility to work with standard .zip files. However, this option may have become corrupt or it may have been changed by another user or an application. When Windows Explorer is set as the default ZIP utility, folders containing .zip files will have an icon that looks like a folder with a zipper on it. What’s neat about using Windows Explorer as the default unzip utility is that you can work with the files within the zipped folder in much the same way as you would any other file. That is, you don’t necessarily have to go through the unzip process.

Go into Windows Explorer by right-clicking the Start button and choosing Explore. Now, find a folder containing .zip files by entering *.zip in the Search box. Does the folder with the zipper icon appear? Probably not since you are having trouble with this. Now, right-click the .zip file and choose Properties. Look under the General tab at the Opens With section. What does that say? When Windows Explorer is the default, it will say Windows Explorer. If that is not listed, click the Change button and browse for Windows Explorer. Windows Explorer is located in C:\Windows and is labeled “Explorer.” Once selected, make sure to check the box that will make Windows Explorer the default application for .zip files.

Zip File Associations

If you do not want to use the default Windows Explorer tool for unzipping files, you can install an unzip utility such as WinZip and use that. If you have already installed such a utility, it’s possible that the file association has been lost. In fact, if you have installed WinZip or a similar utility, it would have likely changed the file association for you. If you then uninstalled it and the file association hasn’t been reset to Windows Explorer, the “Application not found” error would make sense. The process for changing the file association is the similar to the process described above. In this case, you would find a .zip file, right-click it and choose Open With. Browse for WinZip (or a similar utility) and mark the box that will make it the new default for unzipping files.

How do I open a .wps file?

If you are experiencing difficulty opening a WPS file, then it is possible that you do not have the proper program installed on your computer.

What are WPS Files?

As you might know, file extensions indicate which program was used to create a particular file. The file extension WPS is often used to indicate a word processing document that was created in Microsoft Works. It has also been discovered as part of another application, Rockbox Theme.

Opening WPS Files with Microsoft Word

If you have Microsoft Word on your computer, you can use it to open WPS files using the following set of simple directions:

• 1. Use your mouse to right click on the file. When you do so, a small menu appears.
• 2. Select the option to open the file. Use the one that is labeled “open with.”
• 3. Select the option that is similarly labeled as any of the following: “Select the program from a list” or “Choose program.”
• 4. Look through the list of options. Select “Microsoft Word” from the list to open your WPS file.
• 5. As your Microsoft Word program opens, you should be presented with a dialog box asking you if you would like to convert your WPS file from its current Microsoft Works format. Select “OK” so that Microsoft Word will continue with the opening of the file.

If all you don’t get this option when you attempt to open the file, try right clicking on the file and accessing it through the error message where it tells you to either select the proper application or browse the web.

Works 2000 to Word Converter

You might have success opening the WPS file if you use the Works 2000 to Word Converter, which is available from the Microsoft website. This option allows people to convert any Works 2000 word processing files even if their computer has an older version of Word such as Microsoft Word 2000 or Microsoft Word 97 or Works 4.x installed on it. Some users have found it necessary to right click on the WPS file extension first before selecting the option to open it with Microsoft Word even after installing the Works 2000 to Word Converter plug in.

WPS Files and Rockbox

The Rockbox Crew is a company that offers open source firmware for MP3 Players. In particular, their “What’s Playing Screen” features the WPS file extension. In order to open this type of file, you need to have the Rockbox Theme software installed on the computer.

I’m looking for software that opens *.pdb files.

What are PDB Files?

The PDB file extension is used by several different applications, which are not necessarily interchangeable. Because of this, you will need to know where the PDB file originated. For example, if you work in the BioTech industry and a colleague sent you a PDB file related to his research on proteins, then it’s a safe bet that this particular PDB file is a “Protein Data Bank” file. On the other hand, if your accountant sent you a PDB file, the file would more likely be related to Quicken software.

The four primary PDB file types are:

• Protein Data Bank Files - This file extension is used by the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics. It contains the 3D coordinates of a protein’s (or another chemical compound’s) atoms.
• Program Database Files - This is a database format used by Quicken, Pegasus, and Microsoft Visual Studio.
• Palm Desktop Database Files - This format is used by Palm-based PDAs and can contain data such as spreadsheets, documents, maps, and images.
• Power Designer Backup Files - These files are backup files of a Sybase PowerDesigner database.

Opening PDB Files

If you don’t know where the file originated, it’s going to be tough to figure out which type of program to use to open your PDB files. Start by trying to open the file with a text editor such as NotePad. If the file opens, you may be able to find clues that lead you to the correct program. The most common type of PDB file is as a program database file. If you have Quicken or Microsoft Visual Studio.net, try opening the file with those applications.

If you suspect that the file is a Palm Desktop Database file, use PRODEC Desktop PDB Viewer or LLUSoft’s PDB Explorer.

PowerDesigner Backup files are to be used to restore a damaged Sybase PowerDesigner database. In order to work with these files, you will need the PowerDesigner software.

If the PDB file is a Protein Data Bank file, use QuickPDB or find an add-on for Microsoft Internet Explorer such as Protein Workshop or Jmol to open it. The University of Massachusetts Web site lists a variety of viewers and plugins.  

I need help working with the .csv extension for exporting my contacts in Outlook Express.

The CSV File Extension

The CSV file extension stands for “Comma Separated Value” which doesn’t make much sense to the casual user. However, if you’ve ever worked with spreadsheets, it starts to make more sense. For example, spreadsheets consist of data inserted into columns and rows. If you had a contact list, each row would represent one contact’s information with the information entered into different columns such as Name, E-mail address, and Phone Number. When exporting data in a spreadsheet or database, you need to be able to differentiate between the different columns; otherwise the text would blend together into one big clump such as: nameemailaddressphonenumber. The CSV format separates each value placing a comma in between such as: name, emailaddress, phonenumber. When you import a CSV file, the import utility recognizes the commas as a separator and divides the data accordingly.

Exporting Outlook Express Contacts as CSV Files

Outlook Express and other e-mail applications use several import/export formats, including the CSV format. In Outlook Express, go to File > Import and Export > Export to a File. Click Next and select Comma Separated Value. Click Next and select the Contacts folder. Click Next and then Browse to a location on your hard drive where you will save the file such as My Documents. Give your file a meaningful name such as “EmailExportList.csv.” Click Next followed by Finish.

Now, your EmailExportList.csv file is ready to be imported into your new e-mail application using the new program’s import utility.

Importing CSV Files

Depending on which application you are using, the steps for importing the CSV files will vary. For illustration purposes, let’s look at importing a CSV file into Windows Live Mail. In this example, you would first need to click the Address Book and then go to File > Import > Comma Separated Values (.CSV). Next, browse to the stored .csv file (in this example it would be in My Documents\EmailExportList.csv) and click Next. Follow any additional prompts to finalize the import.

In addition, you can open the .csv file in Microsoft Excel or some other spreadsheet. This is useful if you want to modify entries quickly or use them for other purposes.