Home : Tutorials : Windows XP : Notepad

A way to easily edit or view unknown text files…

Copy Notepad.exe to the Send To menu

Open My Computer. Either double-click on the desktop icon or single-click on the Start Menu icon.

Double-click on (C:)

Double-click on Windows

Scroll down until you find Notepad.exe, right-click on it.

Left-click on Copy in the menu that appears

Left-click on the Up button (shown above) or hit the Backspace key on the keyboard to go back a folder

Double-click on Documents and Settings

Double-click on the Username you use when you turn the computer on (The default is Administrator but you could have created almost anything.)

Find the SendTo folder.  It is a hidden folder.  You must be showing hidden files and folders.

Right-click on Send To then left-click on Paste in the menu the appears.

 

Now if you aren't sure what a file is or if it isn't asscoiated with anything you can right click on the file you want to view or edit and select Send To and then left-click on Notepad.exe.  Notepad.exe is an editor so be careful not to save if you didn't intend to make changes.

**Notepad.exe is different than most Windows programs so it isn't as susceptable to viruses and malicious script files.

Note:

You should have already set My Computer to open each folder in the same window.

You should have already completed Unhide file extensions for known file types.