Help!!! I can't open anything i download, it opens textedit with a message at the top saying that the file can't be run in DOS Mode - i didn't even tell it to run in DOS Mode - what do i do?

Configure your program you use to help use Windows. For some reason it is not being run in OSX, probably due to your configuration of that windows assistant program. I don't have an intel mac yet so can't test this out. Try to keep your windows & mac files separate. Personally I'd keep them on separate drives/partitions.

I am having the same issue. I just got a Macbook and am really lost so I'm not sure how to go about fixing this "will not run in dos mode" stuff.

What are you downloading? What are the file types and extensions? If they are .exe files then they are for Windows PC, not for mac.

There is a possibility you are downloading 32 bit programs when your mac is a 64 bit. Many mac programs are set so they can run on either.

I was trying to download a program that that had Microsoft office (Word and excel). When I changed computers all of my work got "changed" and the images I had within my word documents won't show up. I was told at the Mac store that i was supposed to get a free trial for something that would read word, etc but I can't for the life of me figure out what it was supposed to be.

As for the exe files - thanks for heads up. I am still new to this and didn't realize the difference. I was searching with OSX as the platform and just assumed anything that came up would work.

Best is to put OSX in the search title. Unfortunately the osx search platform in the search type does not separate them as one would hope.

Mac files will be stored as .dmg, .zip, .img ...

Thank you!

i'm still confused. i downloaded a rar file but can't open it. are you saying that i need to change part of my computer to a windows computer to open it

No, you are just downloading the wrong type of file from what I understand. I had .exe files that were meant for PC not my Mac.

how can i tell what type of file to download?