When i try to save images fro mthe web, including the graemlings here, they always end up in my pc as bitmap images instead of the original gif or jpg...

how can I go back to downlowding them as they are?

thanks

You need to clear your internet cache, after that you will be able to save the file type as it is.

Thanks
That seems to work after clearing my internet history. Is that the internet cache you mentioned?
It does work :-)

But it does not work when i try to save images sent to me by email... the properties show them as gif but when right click on them and press "save as" the as changed to bitmap...

Looks like this is a bit more complicated thatn it looks :-)

Microsoft is evil.... this is a well known bug with Internet explorer. You'll have to fix it fairly often:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810978

Or.... use mozilla www.mozilla.org

Thanks for the link and welcome back. Hope you had a great vacation.