If I click on a .reg file,while using Firefox,I just see the text of the .reg(while surfing,not after it's downloaded).Are you using Firefox?If I want a .reg,I rightclick and select Save Link As.
If the .reg comes out as text after you have it downloaded,I saw something at Doug Knox's that opens .reg files as text,for a safety precaution.Know if you used anything like that?