.dat files changed to VCD files.

[Guest]

I don't know what happened. Last week when I did my weekly backup, everything
was fine. Today when I tried to do a backup, I found that all data (.dat)
files had been changed to VCD video files. The only thing different from last
week is that I installed Nero Ultra Edition 7. I uninstalled it but the data
files are still VCD video files and I don't know how to change them all back.
I know that renaming them won't stop it from happening. Can anyone help
please? Thank You!

 

[Peter Foldes]

That would do it (Nero) . Go to Windows Explorer\Tools\Folder Options\File Types and scroll to .DAT and select Restore to Default. It did it (Nero) to me also when I installed Nero a while back.

 

[Alan Edwards]

You can leave them. It is not uncommon for applications to take over
the .dat association for no particular reason. It won't affect
anything if you resist the temptation to double-click .dat files.

If you want to remove it, then delete the association in
Explorer-Tools-Folder Options-File Types. There is no default .dat
association as there is no common format for DAT files.

....Alan

 

[Guest]

When I scrolled down to .DAT, the 'Restore To Default' says:

To restore these files to their default type (Video CD Movie), click Restore.

It is showing VCD as the default type. Why? How do I get rid of it?

 

[Guest]

It won't let me delete the association. The 'delete' button stays grayed out.

 

[Guest]

Okay....I figured it out. I had to let them restore to the VCD default, THEN
i could delete the assocation, THEN click 'new' and redo it. Thanks so much!
It wouldn't have bothered me to just leave them except it was causing
problems with the program I use for my backups. Thanks, guys, for the quick
response! You're the best!

 

[Guest]

A system restore should do the trick - always create a restore point when
installing new software.

Andy

 

[Peter Foldes]

You are a real gem Andrew

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Click Start, Run and type this:

reg delete HKCR\.DAT /ve /f


--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User

Windows XP Troubleshooting
http://www.winhelponline.com

 

[Guest]

What does it do if I do that?

Click Start, Run and type this:

reg delete HKCR\.DAT /ve /f


--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User

Windows XP Troubleshooting
http://www.winhelponline.com

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Sets .DAT file association to Windows XP defaults. No application will be
associated with .dat.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User

Windows XP Troubleshooting
http://www.winhelponline.com