GUYS, I am reproducing the situation posted by someone else. I am facing the exact same problem. I installed Windows XP at least 12 times using three most recent versions of Parallels for Mac and the problem has not gone away. The files created in Windows Excel, PowerPoint, and others, are not being recognized by the program that created them in the first place, i.e, Excel, PowerPoint. Same problem with Acrobat Files copied over from the Mac: it reads: PDF_Auto_File or Excel_Auto_File. I have turned the 'SmarSelect' option off and have done everything else to get rid of this problem but it does not go away. My only option now is to trash Parallels and use another solution like, VMWare, unless, I receive a suggestion on rectifying this real stupid problem (Parallels Tech Support: How about waking up once in a while and taking note?). Appreciate any help here. I hate this '*_auto_file Problem' and I dont understand how Parallels could allow this to happen in the first place or not respond to an earlier post (enclosed) with a solution. Here is the original post that has a complete description of the problem:
"*_auto_file problem - can't associate file with application I found lots of document files in my Windows VM are not correctly associated with their program. For example, PDF file doen't have its own icon, and when I double click the file, I cannot launch Acrobat to view the file. Instead, it just opens "file association window" to select application to open the file. - Of course, my windows has Acrobat installed.
I just realized, the file type of many documents has changed something like "*_auto_file"
For example, if the file's extention is pdf, the the file type of this document is pdf_auto_file.
I believe, it is caused by "Smart Select" anyhow since I didn't have any issue like this before I installed Parallels 3.
I want to know how to restore my file type database as it was. (or how to fix this problem)
Actually it is possible to select an associated application for a particular file extention, but in this case, I only could get ugly document icon (you will see what I mean if you do this by yourself).
I really like the new features in Parallels 3, but I also think this "Smart Select" is a big mistake. It not only breaks user's perception of the file system, but also the file system itself."
"*_auto_file problem - can't associate file with application I found lots of document files in my Windows VM are not correctly associated with their program. For example, PDF file doen't have its own icon, and when I double click the file, I cannot launch Acrobat to view the file. Instead, it just opens "file association window" to select application to open the file. - Of course, my windows has Acrobat installed.
I just realized, the file type of many documents has changed something like "*_auto_file"
For example, if the file's extention is pdf, the the file type of this document is pdf_auto_file.
I believe, it is caused by "Smart Select" anyhow since I didn't have any issue like this before I installed Parallels 3.
I want to know how to restore my file type database as it was. (or how to fix this problem)
Actually it is possible to select an associated application for a particular file extention, but in this case, I only could get ugly document icon (you will see what I mean if you do this by yourself).
I really like the new features in Parallels 3, but I also think this "Smart Select" is a big mistake. It not only breaks user's perception of the file system, but also the file system itself."
