missing file associations - nothing works

[dicinginfinity]

Hi everyone,

I have a machine running xp sp3.. i installed avg free on it today and now none of the file associations for apps work.
I also cant open registry to edit keys that I have found on other forums.

when i try and open regedit from c:\windows\servicepackfiles, it asks for a file association (which doesnt work when you point it back to regedit.exe in the above location) but the box to 'always use this program when opening this type of file' is greyed out :(

I tried system restore from c:\windows\servicepackfiles\rstrui.exe which also didnt work because you can only point it back at itself.

any ideas? AVG is so gay
o yeh.. im doing this remotely as well so i cant really reboot!

[tehboris]

You managed to associate executables with some thing? AVG would not cause that (it does not change any file associations as far as I am aware). Try running command.com (becasue it doesn't have a exe extension), might be able to launch other executables from there. Possibly not however, I'm not sure how file association works from command prompt.

Logging in as a different user will probably work. Any user defined file associations will (or should) not effect other users.

If you can figure out a method to get the below in to a text file and rename it to .reg it should fix any local computer file associations (I just pulled this from my computer, probably want to use this as a second to last resort):

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile]
@="Application"
"EditFlags"=hex:38,07,00,00
"TileInfo"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion"
"InfoTip"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion;Create;Si ze"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\Defaul tIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\ open]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\ open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\ runas]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\ runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\ContextMenuHandlers]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\ContextMenuHandlers\CmdLineExt]
@="{9869EFB4-18E9-11D3-A837-00104B9E30B5}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\DropHandler]
@="{86C86720-42A0-1069-A2E8-08002B30309D}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\PropertySheetHandlers]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\PropertySheetHandlers\PifProps]
@="{86F19A00-42A0-1069-A2E9-08002B30309D}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shelle x\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]
@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

Other wise reinstall time.

[dicinginfinity]

panic over - i found a fix :)

if anyone else has this problem, try the following:

make a new text document on your desk top (right click on desktop, new, text document)and copy and paste the following:

REGEDIT4


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile]
"EditFlags"=hex:d8,07,00,00
@="Application"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open]
@=""
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers\{86F19A00-42A0-1069
-A2E9-08002B30309D}]
@=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\DefaultIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"
@="exefile"




then rename the file extension from .txt to .reg (right click on file, rename)




if this doesnt work, you may need to go to 'my computer', click tools, folder options, view, then untick 'hide extensions for known file types'

then ensure that the file is called New Text Document.reg (if not, rename it)

good luck! thanks stona, you saved me a lot of time

[dicinginfinity]

thanks for your fast response Boris - didnt see your post, it took me so long to write my second!
thanks for the advice, im sure it wil be useful to others

but thankfully mine is fixed :D