Cannot open PPS.exe files - they open to garbage

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dallas
  • Start date Start date
D

Dallas

I have a 1.8 GH machine with windows 2003 XP home version
operating system. I could not open the PPS.exe files so I
purchased Windows Office 2003 (student and teacher version)
and still could not open the PPS.exe files. I downloaded
and installed the critical fix #KB828041 and still couldn't
open the files. I also checked to see if there were any
updates for Office 2003 that I didn't have.

I always thought that a .EXE file would self open without
any additional software. It shows how dumb I am.

Thanks for help in solving this problem in advance.
Dallas
 
First off we need to clear up software things:

1. Windows is your Operating System and has nothing to do with Microsoft
Office. Office (of which PowerPoint is a subset of) is separate software.
2. What is the exact wording on the software package you just purchased?
Does it say "Small Business Edition"? Microsoft Office Standard? Microsoft
Office Professional?
3. What exactly are you trying to open - is it an actual presentation or is
it the program file for PowerPoint?

An "exe" file is a program file, not a PowerPoint file. It could be the
fact someone accidentally named the file with the "exe" extension. If so,
open Windows Explorer, select that file, right-click, select "Copy,
right-click, select "Paste" (this makes you a copy of the file to check
out), right-click the copy and rename it to "something.pps", press ENTER.
Double-click on it to see if it open up into Slide Show Mode.

You might want to post back with some clarification based on these hints
before you do anything. Don't want to mess up your computer any more than
it might already be!

Bill Foley
www.pttinc.com
 
The system software is Micorsoft Windows XP home edition.

The purchased solfware is "Microsoft Office" (student and
teacher edition) It says that it is a full version;
however, does not indicate whether it is standard or a
business edition.

I have a bunch of PPS.exe files that are from various
sources. They are mostly programs that I know are good
programs if I could open them. I just get gibberish when I
click on them. I just assumed that they were related to
Power Point is the reason I purchased Office.
 
I have a bunch of PPS.exe files that are from various
sources. They are mostly programs that I know are good
programs if I could open them.
Click to expand...

What are the sources? What did they tell you about the files?
How are you trying to open them?

It may be that they're PowerPoint files (ie, .PPS or .PPT format) stored in
self-extracting ZIP format, which would be an EXE file. What happens if you
just doubleclick it from Windows Explorer?

PowerPoint itself doesn't make EXE files.
You say you have a bunch of PPS.EXE files ... not possible in a single
folder unless they actually have different names.

What are the full filenames of some of these things?
 
Here are some programs downloaded from company websites.
The programs are good based on the chatter on the
Geocache.com forums

EasyGPS.exe.PPS
GeoCalc.exe.PPS
Encryplefile.exe.PPS

EasyGPS manages caches and allows you to upload to GPS units.

GeoCalc is a similar program.

Encryplefile is an Encrypt/Decript software
 
Hi,

I smell a rat. EasyGPS should not have a pps extension, but an exe
extension. pps will force it to open in PowerPoint, which I imagine it
doesn't need to do.

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here
Remove spaces from signature
Posted to news://msnews.microsoft.com
 
Everything I download has xxxx.exe.pps, even when I tried
to upgrade Netscape 7.0 the other day.
 
Hi,

Could you please email me one of the smaller ones. I can have a look. I
think I know what is wrong but I wouldn't be game to tell you to do it
unless I tested it first. I presume these are valid programs you have used
before? Also, can you send me the download link so I can look at the code?

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here
Remove spaces from signature
Posted to news://msnews.microsoft.com
 
Glen:

Thanks for your help. I found out how to solve the
problem. I renamed the files deleting the "PPS" extension
and now they open. What I don't understand is why my
computer adds the "PPS" extension to whatever I download.

Thanks again,
Dallas
 
Dallas,

You've done well! I was going to suggest a rename but was worried whether it
was a valid program. So I thought of looking at the file first.

Anyway... Have you recently installed/ changed anything? The reason I was
chasing a link was to see if the original was named correctly *before*
downloading?

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here
Remove spaces from signature
Posted to news://msnews.microsoft.com
 
Dallas,

You've done well! I was going to suggest a rename but was worried whether it
was a valid program. So I thought of looking at the file first.

Anyway... Have you recently installed/ changed anything? The reason I was
chasing a link was to see if the original was named correctly *before*
downloading?
Click to expand...

Dallas

Do you (or one of your colleagues) use the ArcView program? This
creates files with a .pps extension.
 
Barry,

You've got me wondering there <g>. I use ArcView. How does it create a file
with a pps extension?

--
Regards,

Glen Millar
Microsoft PPT MVP
http://www.powerpointworkbench.com/
Please tell us your ppt version, and get back to us here
Remove spaces from signature
Posted to news://msnews.microsoft.com
 
The only program that I have added recently is "Microsoft
Office" I use "Arcsoft" to manage digital photos; however,
the program does not create any files.

I can change the names in "Windows Explorer"; however, it
does not change the name on other screens such as the
document screen where the programs were downloaded. I can
only use the program in "Explorer". Is there a way to make
the change happen on all screens?
 
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