lnk file association

[Ilia Sacson [MS]]

Interesting. Have you tried uninstalling the reader? Maybe it will get you
to the "Open With" dialog.
I've learned that there are 3rd party shell extensions that can brake lnk
execution exactly in a way you describe. How did this whole madness start
anyway? Maybe all you have to do is to uninstall some app and everything
will be peachy.
Ilia

Yay, progress! Ok, that time it took the file and the changes, no error
message. But all of my lnk icons are still Adobe Reader icons(the last
program I manually assigned the extension to through Default Programs when
I
was trying to make certain of what had happened) and still open through it
even after a restart.

Try removing this part:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer
Property
Page]
@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

Ilia

The link to the file is the one I posted earlier:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/

I downloaded the lnk fix file from there. And I tried the new program
you
suggest and I don't see anything that looks to me like it's trying to
access
the keys, I made sure any of the Norton stuff that came with the Vista
upgrade was killed and killed Windows Defender, still got the message.
Killed explorer and ran the file through Process Explorer and it still
gives
the error message.

 

[Guest]

It started originally shortly after I installed Vista the first time. The
update manager downloaded some updates and started installing them, I
restarted when it gave the prompt and when the system came back up all the
lnk files were unassociated(completely, not like now), the system wouldn't
connect to any network(could still go online though), gadgets were all shot
to hell(no hands on clock, CPU/RAM monitor was just two little blocks), most
things didn't recognize me as admin, and I couldn't do system restores to fix
it. So I had to re-install Vista over itself, all the other problems fixed
themselves and didn't recur after the updates this time but even after the
re-install the lnks were still unassociated.

Whenever I tried to use the lnk files it just gave the unassociated error
message so I went looking in the Default Programs option menu to see if there
was an option there to restore them or fix them or something that looked like
the right way to run them. When I didn't find anything I just picked a
program on the list in hopes of getting that "Checking online for a solution"
thing to start up on them and sort things out. Once that didn't work I dug
up a topic on here with the lnk reg fixes and started trying that and, well,
here we are.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Hi Daemonfyre,

The per-user area is not included in your registry export.

1. Download FileExtInfo.zip from here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/fileextinfo.htm

2. Unzip the utility and extract the files to Desktop.
3. Double-click "FileExtInfo.exe" to run it.
4. Select the file type from the list box
5. Click "View file association report"
6. Copy the contents of the report and include it in your reply.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Exe filefix didn't do anything. Here's the exports from .lnk:


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Handler"="{ceefea1b-3e29-4ef1-b34c-fec79c4f70af}"
"IconPath"=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,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\
00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,\
31,00,36,00,37,00,36,00,39,00,00,00
"ItemName"="@shell32.dll,-30397"
"MenuText"="@shell32.dll,-30318"
"NullFile"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew\Config]
"DontRename"=""

 

[Ilia Sacson [MS]]

Could you post the content of your
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects"
regkey?
Ilia

 

[Guest]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{2AD91900-A873-11cf-9A80-00AA00C16E65}]
"CTXMENU_LIMITEDQI"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{30424D42-5946-11D2-B8E5-006097C9C6FF}]
"NOTAFILESYSTEM"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{52636240-ECF3-11cd-99BE-0020AF346D41}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{6DB8751F-2BBF-11d2-A39B-00C04FB96AD2}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{7bc80fe0-4b41-11cf-8fba-444553540000}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{81ED7E40-2DE4-47ae-91CA-C3E8E8E98E22}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{85D282A8-CE1A-45ca-A3DA-DE77042E0786}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{95B768D0-4D47-11d2-A67C-006097B8BD30}]
"CTXMENU_XPQCMFLAGS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{9869EFB4-18E9-11D3-A837-00104B9E30B5}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{BDA77241-42F6-11D0-85E2-00AA001FE28C}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{BDBD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0}]
"PINDLL"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}]
"NEEDSSTORAGEANCESTOR"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{DB85C504-C730-49DD-BEC1-7B39C6103B7A}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{DB8DC413-C0AA-11D0-9545-080009B1C2F3}]
"NOTAFILESYSTEM"=""
"COCREATESHELLFOLDERONLY"=""
"OTNEEDSSFCACHE"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{DBD534C2-C04D-11D2-895B-00C04F8D8EF9}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{F0F08737-0C36-101B-B086-0020AF07D0F4}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellCompatibility\Objects\{FF463FE9-8DA1-11D1-B516-E5028A4DAE22}]
"CTXMENU_NOVERBS"=""

 

[Ilia Sacson [MS]]

When you right-click on a link, do you see "Open" in bold right on the top?
Can you create a new shortcut (Control-C an executable, right-click on the
desktop, Paste Shortcut) and try opening it?
Ilia

 

[dean-dean]

The registry entries for .lnk and lnkfile look fine. If you feel hesitant
about uninstalling Adobe Reader, try temporarily renaming AcroRd32.exe to
AcroRd32.exe.ren and see what Windows wants to do with a link when you click
on it after that. If you get an Open With dialog (which hopefully you
won't, but rather the link will work correctly), the problem is is that you
don't want to choose an application, and "Unknown Application" (the correct
entry in Control Panel\Default Programs\Set Associations) won't be a choice.
Could you post your export for this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk?

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Addendum:

You need to delete this key, specifically:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk\UserChoice

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hi Daemonfyre,

The per-user area is not included in your registry export.

1. Download FileExtInfo.zip from here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/fileextinfo.htm

2. Unzip the utility and extract the files to Desktop.
3. Double-click "FileExtInfo.exe" to run it.
4. Select the file type from the list box
5. Click "View file association report"
6. Copy the contents of the report and include it in your reply.


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Exe filefix didn't do anything. Here's the exports from .lnk:


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Handler"="{ceefea1b-3e29-4ef1-b34c-fec79c4f70af}"
"IconPath"=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,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\
00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,\
31,00,36,00,37,00,36,00,39,00,00,00
"ItemName"="@shell32.dll,-30397"
"MenuText"="@shell32.dll,-30318"
"NullFile"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew\Config]
"DontRename"=""

 

[Guest]

Ramesh, MS-MVP 4/25/2007 12:32 AM PST

Addendum:

You need to delete this key, specifically:

HEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk\UserChoice


That fixed it. All my shortcuts and start menu icons are back and working
normally again. Thanks for all the help folks.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Nice! I've updated lnkfix_vista.reg accordingly.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Ramesh, MS-MVP 4/25/2007 12:32 AM PST

Addendum:

You need to delete this key, specifically:

HEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.lnk\UserChoice


That fixed it. All my shortcuts and start menu icons are back and working
normally again. Thanks for all the help folks.

 

[dean-dean]

Glad to hear your ordeal is over, Daemonfyre!

Of course, all this begs the general question as to why, in Control
Panel\Default Programs\Set Associations, Vista has the ability to
re-associate the .lnk file type in the first place. Of what earthly good is
it? Like the .exe file type (which isn't in Set Associations), it, too,
shouldn't be available. From Windows XP's File Types tab in Folder Options,
Vista has dumbed down file association editing considerably, at least by
normal UI, non-registry editing, means, yet added the ability to change the
default association for links (the ability to do so isn't available in XP's
File Types tab). And there is no "re-set to default" recovery path. This
addition seems odd, given Vista's apparent goal to further protect the
average user.

 

[Guest]

I am having similar problem. Have applied the reg edits you have mentioned
here and looked for the reg key you mention below to delete but it is not
present. Still have the .lnk issues and blank or generic icons for many
programs. Is there any new or updated information that can help me.

 

[Peter Foldes]

tonytone

Where is the post you are answering to.? I know you posted to Ramesh but where is
the rest??

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

Hi Ramesh

Sorry to bring this up all over again, but I've been sitting with this
exact issue.

tonytone