Folder Options options are greyed out

[Tim]

I went into Folder Options>File Types to correct a file association only to
find that all the options - New, Delete, Change, Advanced, etc - are ALL
greyed out on every single file type. I can't edit any of them! What the
smeg is goin on?

Tim.T

 

[Dave Patrick]

Check the value of 'NoFileAssociate'

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/regentry/94215.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/regentry/94218.asp

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I went into Folder Options>File Types to correct a file association only to
| find that all the options - New, Delete, Change, Advanced, etc - are ALL
| greyed out on every single file type. I can't edit any of them! What the
| smeg is goin on?
|
| Tim.T
|
|

 

[Wesley Vogel]

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

123. Right hand side
Disable Changes to File Associations - Undo
Click on Undo

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Tim.T]

Nope, neither of these registry suggestions worked, even after a cold reboot
today. The options are still greyed out.

I was thinking of doing a System Restore but it's so drastic, and in my
experience System Restore can go pear shaped. The only possible answer I
have is that it was "RegCleaner" that changed something. It creates backups
of any changes it makes, I'll see if I can restore one of those.

Thanks
Tim.T

 

[Tim.T]

It's just getting worse. I tried RegCleaner, it won't even start. I then
thought about System Restore...and that won't run either! No console, no
errors, no warnings, nothing! Yet System Restore service is active and is
turned on. And I don't know if this is related, but I've found that in My
Computer>Properties, all it says about the computer is "2.00 GB RAM". I've
just upgraded to a dual-core AMD Athlon XP 2.2ghz and it says nothing about
that. Is this normal? I could swear it mentioned CPU specs before...

I've tried using SFC to restore files, that didn't work. When trying to
re-install SF using the sr.inf file (I read this elsewhere), it couldn't
copy certain files from the CD.

I hope to hell this isn't a another sign of impending failure, I've only
just had this pc fixed for faulty RAM!

Tim.T

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I only suggested one.

NoFileAssociate Description
[[Disables the buttons on the File Types tab. As a result, users can view
file type associations, but they cannot add, delete, or change the
associations.

The File Types tab shows which programs open when a user double-clicks a
type of file. The file types are represented by the file name extension.]]

Make sure that you check the Value Data in both of the following keys.

Open the Registry Editor...
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |

Navigate to both of the following keys...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

Value Name: NoFileAssociate
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1

0 = The user can add, delete, and change file type associations.
1= The user cannot add, delete, or change file type associations.

If NoFileAssociate does not exist in one of the keys, it's the same as being
set to 0.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Tim.T]

Navigate to both of the following keys...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

"NoFileAssociate" doesn't exist at this key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

"NoFileAssociate" doesn't exist at this key
either. So, as you said, if it doesn't exist it's set to 0 by default.

There has to be more going on here if these two values are set correctly.
The options are still greyed out. I'm getting the feeling this error is
related to another one I get when installing programs: "RegSetValueEx
failed; code 5 Access is denied". I'm logged in as admin on this pc, I'm the
only one that uses it. But for some reason it's starting to behave as though
my access is restricted. And I'm sad to say this - and no I'm not into the
ol' "bash Microsoft" thing - but it all seems to have started the moment I
installed dozens of security patches, updates for SP1. System Restore still
won't work, even after I downloaded a patch yesterday that was expressly
designed to correct what ANOTHER previous patch had done to System Restore!
I rest my case. It didn't work, any way.

I also noticed boot-time has tripled overnight, going from less than 20secs,
to over 1:30min, even though I haven't added any new software, hardware. It
literally changed overnight. Something isn't right here.

Tim. T

I only suggested one.

NoFileAssociate Description
[[Disables the buttons on the File Types tab. As a result, users can view
file type associations, but they cannot add, delete, or change the
associations.

The File Types tab shows which programs open when a user double-clicks a
type of file. The file types are represented by the file name extension.]]

Make sure that you check the Value Data in both of the following keys.

Open the Registry Editor...
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |

Navigate to both of the following keys...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

Value Name: NoFileAssociate
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1

0 = The user can add, delete, and change file type associations.
1= The user cannot add, delete, or change file type associations.

If NoFileAssociate does not exist in one of the keys, it's the same as being
set to 0.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Nope, neither of these registry suggestions worked, even after a cold
reboot today. The options are still greyed out.

I was thinking of doing a System Restore but it's so drastic, and in my
experience System Restore can go pear shaped. The only possible answer I
have is that it was "RegCleaner" that changed something. It creates
backups of any changes it makes, I'll see if I can restore one of those.

Thanks
Tim.T

 

[Wesley Vogel]

RegSetValueEx Sets the data and type of a specified value under a registry
key.

You may have a permissions problem.

But, just for fun add a NoFileAssociate value and set to 0 in both keys.

Open the Registry Editor...
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |

Navigate to both of the following keys...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

Right click in the right hand pane point to New and click DWord value
Set the Value name to NoFileAssociate
Set the Value data to 0

Depending on the update(s), they can increase boot time. I have suffered
from this myself.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Navigate to both of the following keys...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

"NoFileAssociate" doesn't exist at this key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

"NoFileAssociate" doesn't exist at this key
either. So, as you said, if it doesn't exist it's set to 0 by default.

There has to be more going on here if these two values are set correctly.
The options are still greyed out. I'm getting the feeling this error is
related to another one I get when installing programs: "RegSetValueEx
failed; code 5 Access is denied". I'm logged in as admin on this pc, I'm
the only one that uses it. But for some reason it's starting to behave as
though my access is restricted. And I'm sad to say this - and no I'm not
into the ol' "bash Microsoft" thing - but it all seems to have started
the moment I installed dozens of security patches, updates for SP1.
System Restore still won't work, even after I downloaded a patch
yesterday that was expressly designed to correct what ANOTHER previous
patch had done to System Restore! I rest my case. It didn't work, any way.

I also noticed boot-time has tripled overnight, going from less than
20secs, to over 1:30min, even though I haven't added any new software,
hardware. It literally changed overnight. Something isn't right here.

Tim. T

I only suggested one.

NoFileAssociate Description
[[Disables the buttons on the File Types tab. As a result, users can view
file type associations, but they cannot add, delete, or change the
associations.

The File Types tab shows which programs open when a user double-clicks a
type of file. The file types are represented by the file name
extension.]]

Make sure that you check the Value Data in both of the following keys.

Open the Registry Editor...
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |

Navigate to both of the following keys...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer

Value Name: NoFileAssociate
Data Type: REG_DWORD
Value Data: 0 or 1

0 = The user can add, delete, and change file type associations.
1= The user cannot add, delete, or change file type associations.

If NoFileAssociate does not exist in one of the keys, it's the same as
being set to 0.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Nope, neither of these registry suggestions worked, even after a cold
reboot today. The options are still greyed out.

I was thinking of doing a System Restore but it's so drastic, and in my
experience System Restore can go pear shaped. The only possible answer I
have is that it was "RegCleaner" that changed something. It creates
backups of any changes it makes, I'll see if I can restore one of those.

Thanks
Tim.T
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

123. Right hand side
Disable Changes to File Associations - Undo
Click on Undo

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Tim <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
I went into Folder Options>File Types to correct a file association
only to find that all the options - New, Delete, Change, Advanced,
etc - are ALL greyed out on every single file type. I can't edit any
of them! What the smeg is goin on?

Tim.T