Comments on: .xlsx and .docx are being saved as a zip file in explorer?

By: Jim Hanson

Jim Hanson — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:56:20 +0000

the same problem happens on firefox (3.6) for .docm files. same for .xlsm files.

the only way around this (aside from the server side) is to change the files to .zip so that they are actually zipped when they get downloaded. unfortunately, that means people downloading need an unzip program but that’s how it is. i hope firefox 4 and ie 9 solve this as a default rather than as an option–not good for stuff you need inexperienced users to download.

By: shankz

shankz — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:52:18 +0000

Yes.. if you are building an application then there are two ways to over come it. Either add the mime types in .htaccess or once for all add it in apache’s conf/mime.types file. You can find a detailed explanation below.
http://shashanktheblogger.blogspot.com/2010/04/test.html

By: PhistucK

PhistucK — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:01:27 +0000

If nothing helps client side, installing .NET Framework Redistributables 1.1 on the client computer will solve the problem. Really weirdly so.

By: Reddy

Reddy — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:33:11 +0000

Hi Roy Pineau,

Your solutions of adding application types for Apache server in .htaccess in the root of the server is worked for me, you saved lot of my Time.

Thanks,
Reddy

By: Ramon Ecung

Ramon Ecung — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:33:13 +0000

Add this to a .htaccess file and throw it on your site:
AddType application/vnd.openxmlformats .docx .pptx .xlsx .xltx . xltm .dotx .potx .ppsx

Should fix many of the problems.

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:36:48 +0000

Got the same odd thing on a random user’s computer running XP with IE8 using the company’s intranet. Adding the intranet to the trusted sites in IE fixed the issue for me.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:44:28 +0000

In follow up to my previous comment, I’m not sure what has changed but now .docx files now only download properly in IE, stilil getting .zip in the other browsers…interesting.

By: John M.

John M. — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:58:54 +0000

Working with Vista, trying to download .xlsx spreadsheet, the comment from Mariah Levi (above) seemed to be the closest working solution. There were a couple of variations. I double clicked the .xlsx file and, of course, the pop up box asked if I wanted to Open or Save. I chose Save. Then I got a pop up box with the file name changed to .zip and a drop down box with .zip pre-selected with an option to change to All Files. I chose All Files, then I placed my cursor in the file name box, deleted zip and replaced it by typing xls. Then I clicked on OK. It worked and thank the WindowsNerd for having a place for all of us to help each other. I hope this helps someone have a better rest of the day.

By: Wray

Wray — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:10:30 +0000

What is clear from much research is that it can occur for all version of IE, sometimes for non-IE and on XP, Vista or 7. There is more than one problem. Sometimes it is a server issue, sometimes it is a client issue(sometimes both). The additional information I can add here is that when it is a client problem (and the server has been fixed or was never broken), what I see in the header for the URL on broken clients is that their ACCEPT header does not include the Mime type for a docx file. The server sends back a Mime type of application/octet-stream even though it is capable of sending back a docx mime type (application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml). This certainly changes how IE displays the prompt to save it. So in this case it is not the server’s fault even though it participates. It also proves that there is no one definitive fix and that the problem needs to be analyzed on a case by case basis.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:19:26 +0000

I get the same problem regardless of browser (firefox, chrome, IE). My sister has the same problem regardless of browser as well. Both of us have windows 7 professional (legit copies) and are trying to get the decrease docx files from different sources