How do I read a .dat file on my PC?

[KirstenLord]

I received a .dat file and I need to access it urgently. Is it possible to
access this in Microsoft Office?

 

[TedMi]

Not with Office. Problem is that a .dat file can be created by a number of
applications, each one creating it in a different and incompatible format.
You need to ask the sender of the file what was the app that created it.
-TedMi

 

[Daddy]

A .dat file that contains text can be opened with any text editor -- even
Notepad or Wordpad.

Daddy

 

[DL]

Probably as a result of someone emailing you using Rich Text Format

 

[Alan Edwards]

This is an old response of mine but should still be valid.

If you mean a Winmail.dat then tell the person who is sending you
these with Outlook to uncheck the box :"Always send messages in
Microsoft Exchange rich text format."

I delete all winmail.dat files and ask the Outlook sender to change
from Rich Text to Plain Text.
I opened a few and found nothing of use inside.
This will open them if there is anything of use inside.
Fentun http://www.fentun.com

A little more about them in the Eudora FAQ
WINMAIL.DAT attachment to messages
http://www.eudora.com/techsupport/kb/1552hq.html

and from MS:
How to Prevent the Winmail.dat File from Being Sent to Internet Users
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;138053

and...
Dealing with the winmail.dat file: the problem and the solutions -
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~jbenson/resource/winmail.htm

....Alan