Running Windows 98 - email attachment tries to open with notepad instead of Word. How can that be changed?

download attachment and rename it with extension .doc
for ex- file.doc
then it wud open in word by default

Why do other attachments that are received in Yahoo Mail open with notepad and aren't all garbled like this one? It's confusing.

first of all you must have microsoft word installed on your computer.
then secondary it also depends upon how the person is attaching file while sending i.e if he is sending file in .doc format then you would receive in this format only
also try following steps
right click file you want to open

then select open with microsoft word

and check box always use this program for this kind of file at bottom

thanks