'Some files can contain viruses' warning when clicking on hyperlinks

[martinlest]

It is very useful to be able to open files referred to in Excel files via a hyperlink to the file itself. In many xslx files (Office 2007) this works fine. In others I get a warning message (with blue question mark) asking me if I really want to open the file. I can't see what makes one Excel file work without a warning and others not.... The hyperlinks in the current file are all to small .wav files on my PC.

I have spent (wasted) an hour now Googling, trying various recommended registry tweaks (EditFlags etc), downloading Microsoft 'Fixit' fixes (that fix nothing)... I still get this warning every time I try to open a wav file via a hyperlink in the xslx file.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925757

I know Microsoft try to make their stuff as 'idiot proof' as possible, to minimize their support workload, but not having a dialogue option to turn this warning off for the files/folders in question is very annoying. The folders are already in the Office 'Trusted Zone'.

Does anyone know how to turn these warning messages off? Globally if necessary. I really do object to being 'nursemaided' by MS like this. I'm not alone in that of course!

Many thanks!

 

[GEWB]

See if Brink's post helps:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/182353-open-file-security-warning-enable-disable.html

Regards,
GEWB

 

[martinlest]

Thanks for the link. Interesting, but I can't find anything there that helps. I downloaded the most likely reg file, but after installation and rebooting it makes no difference to what happens. I think this needs an MS Office-specific fix.

Martin

 

[UsernameIssues]

Let me see if I can reproduce your issue.

Please pick one of the tiniest files that gives you this warning.
Create a folder with this path:
C:\TEMP
Place a copy of the tiny file in that folder.
Create/open a new Excel spreadsheet in that same folder.
Create a link to that tiny file.
Verify that you still get the warning when you try to open the file via the link.

If the warning still happens:
Close/save the spreadsheet.
ZIP that entire TEMP folder
Upload it in your next post and I'll see if I get the same warning.

I'll be testing inside an isolated Virtual Machine.

 

[martinlest]

Hi. Thanks for the reply.

I did what you suggested and still get the warning, so am attaching the folder to this message,

Martin

 

[UsernameIssues]

I do not get the warning using Office 2007 Excel (with or without SP3). Even moving the wav file to a remote computer, mapping a drive and editing the hyperlink did not cause any such warning. I'm not sure what else to suggest. The KB in your OP should have fixed it for you.

If you really get desperate, you could try Process Monitor - but there is a learning curve.

 

[martinlest]

Different settings in your PC I guess. The $64,000 question would be, which ones? Thanks for trying...

Yes, I have Process Monitor, but I think I'll just have to accept this. Most of my hyperlinks in Office documents link to folders and those work fine. The few I have that link to files, I'll have to put up with - unless anyone has any further ideas on how to stop this message coming up every time.

 

[Ranger4]

I don't know if this is applicable to your situation martinlest, but you could try getting your AV to scan the drive beforehand, which may stop the message. Your post No 3 shows drive E, so I assume that is where you have the file.

 

[whs]

If you are in doubt about a file, upload it to this site and have it thoroughly checked. If it comes out clean, then it is clean.

 

[carwiz]

The folders are already in the Office 'Trusted Zone'.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Office Trusted Zone". The folder(s) need to be placed in Excel Trusted Locations. This differs from Word or other trusted settings. If you have entered a location that has subfolders, be sure to set the option to include subfolders.

 

[martinlest]

Yes, I set up the Trusted Location from within Excel Options. The correct folder path is shown and I have included subfolders (though there aren't any). I still get the warning message...

 

[carwiz]

Are the files local to your PC?
How are you inserting the hyperlink?

I was able to duplicate the warning when the location was not "trusted". When the location was added to the trusted locations, I was able to insert the hyperlink without any warning. I even clicked on the cell and it played the wav file.

Soooooooooooo. You're missing something.

 

[martinlest]

OK, will look again (and post back of course). Thanks!

(Yes, local files on the PC. I inserted the hyperlink by right clicking the cell, choosing 'hyperlink' and browsing to the file).

 

[martinlest]

Hopeless! I go into Excel, Click the Office button in the top left-hand corner, choose Excel Options, go to the Trust Center and then Trust Center Settings and Trusted Locations. See screenshot. The path is correct.

The warning comes up every time. I can't see what I am missing - will have to give up at some stage (before the frustration gets to me!).

Martin

 

[martinlest]

In the same Excel document by the way, I can open some hyperlinks and not others: links to .xlsx, .bmp, .jpg or .docx files (for example) open fine. But those to .wav, .wmv or .mp3, for instance, do not. I need to disable the warning on the basis of file type I guess? I would, if I knew how.. I'll search a bit longer.

 

[carwiz]

What is the E drive? Is the folder shared? I think there's some restriction on "trusted locations". I could be wrong (working from memory) but a trusted location can't be on a NAS drive or in a shared folder since by definition, these are not secure.

 

[martinlest]

Yes, it is a shared folder. But why would I be able to open certain file types and not others (from the same folder)? I'll try adding a hyperlink for a .wmv file in a folder that is not shared in any case and see what happens.

 

[PatJones]

xml files triggering virus warning

Hello

I work in an office using multiple computers with the same OS. We use an Access database with SQL backend to open files on a shared drive.


I currently have a similar problem with xml files triggering the “Some files can contain viruses or otherwise …”


Recently we had a huge problem with this popup and found that it seemed to have been caused by someone associating all file types with VLC media player. This caused huge problems but I have slowly rectified these.

With multimedia files I found that only by associating the extension with the latest version of Windows Media Player 11 did this resolve it. I did this by editing the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/ext DEFAULT key with windows media player11 e.g. WMP11.AssocFile.MP3

I also found that with non multimedia files the Default value could be set to txtfile and this would resolve the issue.

I have now found the problem occurring on xml files being opened with Access on one machine only.

Can anyone make any suggestions to resolve this issue please?

Thanks



p.s.The reason I am posting in this thread is that this issue is so specific.