Troubleshooting Problems Opening HQX Files
Common Problems Opening HQX Files
Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive is Not Installed
When you double-click your HQX 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 Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive for %%os%% installed on your computer. Because your operating system doesn't know what to do with this file, you won't be able to open it by double-clicking.
Tip: If you know of another program that can open your HQX file, you can try opening it by selecting the application from the programs listed.
Wrong Version of Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive is Installed
In some cases, you might have a newer (or older) version of a Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive file that is unsupported by your installed application version. If you do not have the proper version Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive (or any of the other programs listed above), you may need to try downloading a different version of it, or one of the other software applications listed above. 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: Sometimes you can get a clue about the version of HQX file you have by right clicking on the file, then clicking on "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac OSX).
Summary: In either case, the majority of problems opening HQX files are related to not having the correct software application installed on your computer.
Other Causes of HQX File Opening Problems
Although you might already have Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive or another HQX-associated software installed on your computer, you can still encounter problems opening Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive files. If you are still having problems opening HQX files, there may be other issues that are preventing you from opening these files. These other problems include (listed in order from most to least common):
- Invalid HQX file references in the Windows Registry (the "phonebook" of the Windows Operating System)
- Accidental deletion of the description of the HQX file in the Windows registry
- Incomplete or bad installation of a software application associated with the HQX format
- Your HQX file is corrupted (issues with your Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive file itself)
- Your HQX is infected with malware
- Device drivers of the hardware associated with your HQX file are corrupt or out-of-date
- Your computer does not have the adequate system resources to open the Macintosh BinHex 4 Compressed Archive format
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