HELP! Can't open apple file security protected files

hi,

ok here's my dilemma. i used to use OS 9 Classic with the Apple File Security feature. i used it to password protect a lot of different files. eventually i upgraded from OS 9 Classic to OS X (Panther) with the option to run OS 9 if i needed to. i wanted to keep using Apple File Security (AFS) so i would open OS 9, open AFS, and then password protect the files of my choice.

well, just recently, i tried to open a file that i password protected, and it wouldn't prompt me for the password. instead, a Convert File From box popped up with choices like, "Text Only, MS-DOS Text, Rich Text Format (RTF), HTML Document" etc. this never happened before. usually when i click on the file i want to open, OS 9 will automatically start up and then i will get a prompt to type in the password for the file. not this time. if i choose one of the options in the Convert File From box, it opens up the file with a bunch of jibberish.

what's changed? why am i being asked to convert the file when all i want to do is open it?

i've tried opening it by manually opening OS 9 first and then the file but the same thing happens. i haven't done anything different. i recently downloaded the macairportfix for my aol but other than that or the usual mac updates, i haven't changed anything.

i am having this problem with only one AFS protected file. all the others works fine.

one weird thing i noticed was there's an AFS protected file called "tEmP*cRyPtFiLe-10002" in my folder. i don't know where this file came from and when i try to open it, it asks for a password which i do not know. could this be the root of my problem?

can anyone help me? i really need to get this file open. thank you from the bottom of my apple-shaped heart.

 

thanks for your reply. yes, you are right. it is using the MS Word to open it instead of Apple File Security (AFS). but i tried changing it to open with AFS and it continuously asks for me to enter the password or create a new one.
any thoughts?