"open with" file associations

[Michael Arends]

For some reason now, whenever I try to RIGHT click on ANY of my file
types, and do a OPEN WITH, I come up with the following message,

"This file doesn't have a program associated with it, for performing
this action. Create an association in the folder options control panel".


Except that when I go there, there IS a program associated with the
particular file type.

Example: .jpg files, I have Microsoft photo editor, Paint Shop Pro 7,
and Picassa, installed. I used to be able to RIGHT click on a .jpg file,
and then go to "open with" and it would give me a list of installed
programs to choose from. NOW I get the above error.

Now, I DO use a registry cleaner, could I have damaged something? and
how do I get it back?

What gives?

HELP PLEASE..

 

[dev]

/Michael Arends/ said:

For some reason now, whenever I try to RIGHT click on ANY of my file
types, and do a OPEN WITH, I come up with the following message,

"This file doesn't have a program associated with it, for performing
this action. Create an association in the folder options control panel".


Except that when I go there, there IS a program associated with the
particular file type.

Example: .jpg files, I have Microsoft photo editor, Paint Shop Pro 7,
and Picassa, installed. I used to be able to RIGHT click on a .jpg file,
and then go to "open with" and it would give me a list of installed
programs to choose from. NOW I get the above error.

Now, I DO use a registry cleaner, could I have damaged something? and
how do I get it back?

Does it have an UNDO function? Try that.

Also see http://dougknox.com XP-FIXES for "restore default file
associations easily" link (on the right).

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Michael,

Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe

Navigate to these locations:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\Shell

Export the keys and post the contents here.

 

[Michael Arends]

Ramesh, MS-MVP answered:

Michael,

Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe

Navigate to these locations:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\openas]
@="Open with..."

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\Shell

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown]
"AlwaysShowExt"=""
"QueryClassStore"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell]
@="Notepad"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\Notepad]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\Notepad\Command]
@="notepad.exe %1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\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,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,25,00,53,\

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,00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,6e,00,41,00,\
73,00,5f,00,52,00,75,00,6e,00,44,00,4c,00,4c,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,00,00

Export the keys and post the contents here.

There ya go Ramesh.. I will be greatful for any help.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Michael,

Backup, and then delete this key:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\openas]

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

Ramesh, MS-MVP answered:

Michael,

Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe

Navigate to these locations:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\openas]
@="Open with..."

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\Shell

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown]
"AlwaysShowExt"=""
"QueryClassStore"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell]
@="Notepad"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\Notepad]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\Notepad\Command]
@="notepad.exe %1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\shell\openas\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,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\

6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,25,00,53,\

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,00,4f,00,70,00,65,00,6e,00,41,00,\
73,00,5f,00,52,00,75,00,6e,00,44,00,4c,00,4c,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,00,00

Export the keys and post the contents here.

There ya go Ramesh.. I will be greatful for any help.

 

[Michael Arends]

Smiling Wickedly, dev answered:

/Michael Arends/ said:



Does it have an UNDO function? Try that.

Also see http://dougknox.com XP-FIXES for "restore default file
associations easily" link (on the right).

You know, I actually tried Rameshes suggestion first. And then as a
redundant system, decided to use YOUR suggestion, and did a 'restore'
using 'registry compressor' (the program I use). It WORKED.

Thanks..

 

[Michael Arends]

Smiling Wickedly, Ramesh, MS-MVP answered:

Michael,

Backup, and then delete this key:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\openas]

Ramesh,

Thanks, I tried your suggestion, and then I did a restore from the
program I use to 'defrag' and compress my registry.

ONE of them did the trick. It's working again.

KUDO's to you for your help.

Thanks.

Michael

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

You're welcome Michael. Registry compressors / defraggers do nothing to the
data, so it's my suggestion may have done the trick.

--
Ramesh, Windows XP MVP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org

Smiling Wickedly, Ramesh, MS-MVP answered:

Michael,

Backup, and then delete this key:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\Shell\openas]

Ramesh,

Thanks, I tried your suggestion, and then I did a restore from the
program I use to 'defrag' and compress my registry.

ONE of them did the trick. It's working again.

KUDO's to you for your help.

Thanks.

Michael