Sources of REA Problems
Frequent REA Opening Issues
Missing Microsoft Notepad
When you double-click your REA file, you may see a dialog box from your operating system stating that it "Cannot Open This File Type". If this is the case, it's usually due to the fact that you do not have Microsoft Notepad for %%os%% installed on your computer. The OS won't know what to do with your REA file, so double-clicking to load the file doesn't work.
Tip: If you have another software that you know opens REA files, you can select it by hitting the "Show Apps" button.
Microsoft Notepad Requires Update
It is possible that your version of Microsoft Notepad isn't able to open your Readme Text File file due to incompatibility. Visit the Microsoft Corporation website to download (or purchase) the latest version of Microsoft Notepad. This problem is most common when you have an older version of the software application, and your file was created by a newer version that it cannot recognize.
Tip: Investigate your REA file by right-clicking and selecting "Properties" to find clues on what version you need.
Primarily, problems experienced when opening REA files are due to having the incorrect version of Microsoft Notepad installed on your computer.
Other REA File Issues
Errors opening Readme Text File files can still occur even with the latest Microsoft Notepad software installed on your computer. Other REA opening errors can be created by other system problems inside of %%os%%. Issues that aren't software-related:
- Invalid REA file references in the Windows Registry (the "phonebook" of the Windows Operating System)
- Corruption of the REA file description inside the Registry
- Defective install of a REA program, such as Microsoft Notepad
- File corruption affecting your REA file
- REA file integrity has been compromised by malware
- Device drivers for REA-related hardware are out-of-date
- Windows cannot load your Readme Text File file due to insufficient resources (eg. RAM)
Quiz: Which file extension is the most widely used on the World Wide Web?
That's Correct!
Not only is HTML still the "gold standard" file extension of the web, it is also the oldest and still the most widely-used format for serving webpages.
Close, but not quite...
Not only is HTML still the "gold standard" file extension of the web, it is also the oldest and still the most widely-used format for serving webpages.