3GP and LNK files ?

This is another post from our series of posts helping you understand variouscomputer file extensions and their applications.

It is important to understand what file extensions are and how they work as they can tell you what type of format the files on your computer saved are in, and what they are used for. File extensions are the coded suffixes placed at the end of a saved filename, and indicate what type of file it is, and what programs/devices you need to open it. Today we will talk about 3GP and Lnk file extensions.

File extension 3gp indicates a multimedia file that is used on devices such as 3G (and sometimes 2G and 4G) mobile phones. The 3GP file is designed to reduce data such as video and music for storage and playback on mobile phones, and is a simplified version of MPEG-4 files, which are used to compress AV digital data for streaming and archiving. 3gp files can also be transferred to a computer and viewed with a variety of operating systems including Windows, Mac and Linux and are compatible with common applications such as Media Player Classic, RealPlayer, and QuickTime.

Filename extensions can also be used to increase the security of your computer, as they can alert you to those files that are more likely to contain harmful executable programs that can infiltrate your hard drive and run routines without your knowledge, such as exe files. These types of files are very useful as they can run standard schedules and programs without you having to activate them, but they can also be used as a delivery method for viruses or other malicious programs. You must always ensure that you isolate any exe files you receive via email or through websites, and scan them with an up to date anti virus program before opening. You also need to be aware of lnk files, as they are shortcuts that point to an exe file on your system. If you click on a lnk file it is the same as clicking directly onto the exe file it is associated with, and the program will open and start to run. These lnk files are also used for legitimate exe programs but can often suddenly stop working, and this is normally because there is a problem with the associated exe program, such as the registry becoming corrupted.