.ico files are all wrongly associated with a program

For some reason all the .ico files on my PC are now associated with ACDCPro
and the same but wrong icon is displayed in Windows Explorer. Obviously I
can change the association to another program but I need them to display as
they should. How can I make them display the original and correct icon?

I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium

Hello Barry,

We can restore the default settings by changing some registry entries.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry.
Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that
you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the
following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ - Description of the Microsoft
Windows registry.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I cannot
guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Open Notepad by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then
click on Notepad.
2. Copy and paste the following registry file which is contained between the
dividers (do not copy the divider lines, though):

==============================================

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico]
"Content Type"="image/x-icon"
@="icofile"
"PerceivedType"="image"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile]
@="Icon"
"ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000000

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

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open]
"MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,\
72,00,79,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,\
00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\command
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,79,00,5c,00,50,00,\
68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,\
00,6c,00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,\
77,00,5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,\
00,25,00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\DropTarget]
"Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
@="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"

==============================================

2. Save this to your desktop as "Icon File Restore Defaults.reg".
3. Double click the file on your desktop.
4. If User Account Control prompts you for consent, provide the appropriate
credentials or provide consent.
5. When asked if you would like to merge the registry entries, click on "Yes".

This will restore your icon files to the default settings.

Hope this helps, have yourself a great day!

--
Regards,
Kristan M. Kenney
Microsoft MVP [Windows - Shell/User]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"Barry" wrote:

> For some reason all the .ico files on my PC are now associated with ACDCPro
> and the same but wrong icon is displayed in Windows Explorer. Obviously I
> can change the association to another program but I need them to display as
> they should. How can I make them display the original and correct icon?
>
> I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium
>
>

How-to set file associations in Vista, details in this tutorial.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/6...t-programs.html

"Kristan M. Kenney [MVP]" wrote:

> Hello Barry,
>
> We can restore the default settings by changing some registry entries.
>
> IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry.
> Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that
> you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
> information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the
> following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ - Description of the Microsoft
> Windows registry.
>
> WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
> problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I cannot
> guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor
> incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
>
> 1. Open Notepad by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then
> click on Notepad.
> 2. Copy and paste the following registry file which is contained between the
> dividers (do not copy the divider lines, though):
>
> ==============================================
>
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico]
> "Content Type"="image/x-icon"
> @="icofile"
> "PerceivedType"="image"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico\PersistentHandler]
> @="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile]
> @="Icon"
> "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000000
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\DefaultIcon]
> @="%1"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell]
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open]
> "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
> 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
> 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,\
> 72,00,79,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,\
> 00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\command]
> @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
> 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
> 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
> 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
> 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
> 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,79,00,5c,00,50,00,\
> 68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,\
> 00,6c,00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,\
> 77,00,5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,\
> 00,25,00,31,00,00,00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\DropTarget]
> "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex]
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>
> ==============================================
>
> 2. Save this to your desktop as "Icon File Restore Defaults.reg".
> 3. Double click the file on your desktop.
> 4. If User Account Control prompts you for consent, provide the appropriate
> credentials or provide consent.
> 5. When asked if you would like to merge the registry entries, click on "Yes".
>
> This will restore your icon files to the default settings.
>
> Hope this helps, have yourself a great day!
>
> --
> Regards,
> Kristan M. Kenney
> Microsoft MVP [Windows - Shell/User]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
>
> "Barry" wrote:
>
> > For some reason all the .ico files on my PC are now associated with ACDCPro
> > and the same but wrong icon is displayed in Windows Explorer. Obviously I
> > can change the association to another program but I need them to display as
> > they should. How can I make them display the original and correct icon?
> >
> > I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium
> >
> >

Kristan,

Many thanks for the information but just after posting here I found a small
program that removes the file association from here:-
http://xenomorph.net/?page_id=492

At first, I didn't think it worked but after restarting my PC all seems to
be OK.

Kind regards
Barry


"Kristan M. Kenney [MVP]" <KristanMKenneyMVP@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote in message news:801DB2CD-7A1D-451C-A812-BE55BD40A619@microsoft.com...
> Hello Barry,
>
> We can restore the default settings by changing some registry entries.
>
> IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry.
> Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that
> you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
> information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click
> the
> following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
> Base:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ - Description of the
> Microsoft
> Windows registry.
>
> WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
> problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I cannot
> guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry
> Editor
> incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
>
> 1. Open Notepad by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then
> click on Notepad.
> 2. Copy and paste the following registry file which is contained between
> the
> dividers (do not copy the divider lines, though):
>
> ==============================================
>
> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico]
> "Content Type"="image/x-icon"
> @="icofile"
> "PerceivedType"="image"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico\PersistentHandler]
> @="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile]
> @="Icon"
> "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000000
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\DefaultIcon]
> @="%1"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell]
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open]
> "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
>
> 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
>
> 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,\
>
> 72,00,79,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,\
>
> 00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\command]
> @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
>
> 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
>
> 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
>
> 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
>
> 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
>
> 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,79,00,5c,00,50,00,\
>
> 68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,\
>
> 00,6c,00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,\
>
> 77,00,5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,\
> 00,25,00,31,00,00,00
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\DropTarget]
> "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex]
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>
> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>
> ==============================================
>
> 2. Save this to your desktop as "Icon File Restore Defaults.reg".
> 3. Double click the file on your desktop.
> 4. If User Account Control prompts you for consent, provide the
> appropriate
> credentials or provide consent.
> 5. When asked if you would like to merge the registry entries, click on
> "Yes".
>
> This will restore your icon files to the default settings.
>
> Hope this helps, have yourself a great day!
>
> --
> Regards,
> Kristan M. Kenney
> Microsoft MVP [Windows - Shell/User]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
>
>
> "Barry" wrote:
>
>> For some reason all the .ico files on my PC are now associated with
>> ACDCPro
>> and the same but wrong icon is displayed in Windows Explorer. Obviously I
>> can change the association to another program but I need them to display
>> as
>> they should. How can I make them display the original and correct icon?
>>
>> I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium
>>
>>

unfortunately this just associates the file with another program, I needed
to remove the association completely and Vista doesn't allow it. A small
program here allowed me to remove the association:-

http://xenomorph.net/?page_id=492


"uvbogden" <uvbogden@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C8814692-5BA1-47F7-80D1-B5611EFB5D3E@microsoft.com...
> How-to set file associations in Vista, details in this tutorial.
>
> http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/6...t-programs.html
>
> "Kristan M. Kenney [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Hello Barry,
>>
>> We can restore the default settings by changing some registry entries.
>>
>> IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the
>> registry.
>> Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure
>> that
>> you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For
>> information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click
>> the
>> following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
>> Base:
>>
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256986/EN-US/ - Description of the
>> Microsoft
>> Windows registry.
>>
>> WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious
>> problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I
>> cannot
>> guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry
>> Editor
>> incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.
>>
>> 1. Open Notepad by clicking on Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then
>> click on Notepad.
>> 2. Copy and paste the following registry file which is contained between
>> the
>> dividers (do not copy the divider lines, though):
>>
>> ==============================================
>>
>> Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico]
>> "Content Type"="image/x-icon"
>> @="icofile"
>> "PerceivedType"="image"
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ico\PersistentHandler]
>> @="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile]
>> @="Icon"
>> "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000000
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\DefaultIcon]
>> @="%1"
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell]
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open]
>> "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\
>>
>> 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\
>>
>> 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,\
>>
>> 72,00,79,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,\
>>
>> 00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\command]
>> @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
>>
>> 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\
>>
>> 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\
>>
>> 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\
>>
>> 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\
>>
>> 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,47,00,61,00,6c,00,6c,00,65,00,72,00,79,00,5c,00,50,00,\
>>
>> 68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,\
>>
>> 00,6c,00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,\
>>
>> 77,00,5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,\
>> 00,25,00,31,00,00,00
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shell\open\DropTarget]
>> "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex]
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
>> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>>
>> [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\icofile\shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
>> @="{43372ada-945b-4713-82db-d217b338ae6f}"
>>
>> ==============================================
>>
>> 2. Save this to your desktop as "Icon File Restore Defaults.reg".
>> 3. Double click the file on your desktop.
>> 4. If User Account Control prompts you for consent, provide the
>> appropriate
>> credentials or provide consent.
>> 5. When asked if you would like to merge the registry entries, click on
>> "Yes".
>>
>> This will restore your icon files to the default settings.
>>
>> Hope this helps, have yourself a great day!
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>> Kristan M. Kenney
>> Microsoft MVP [Windows - Shell/User]
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>>
>>
>> "Barry" wrote:
>>
>> > For some reason all the .ico files on my PC are now associated with
>> > ACDCPro
>> > and the same but wrong icon is displayed in Windows Explorer. Obviously
>> > I
>> > can change the association to another program but I need them to
>> > display as
>> > they should. How can I make them display the original and correct icon?
>> >
>> > I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium
>> >
>> >