Separate Windows XP Pro accounts seem to share file associations?

[Philip P. Obbard]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can help me out.

My wife and I both use our Windows XP Pro installation to handle our
portable MP3 players. We have separate accounts created in XP and we sign in
using our respective accounts.

However, I've discovered that if one of us chooses to change the file
association for a particular file type, e.g, MP3 files, the change affects
*all* accounts on the box. Even if I use the "Set program access and
defaults" option, it seems to set the profiles for both accounts
simultaneously. This is very frustrating, as she uses iTunes as her MP3
manager, while I use MusicMatch.

For example: If I associate MP3 files with MusicMatch in my profile (while
signed-in as myself), when she later signs-in as herself, she discovers that
clicking an MP3 file launches MusicMatch, even if she previously assigned
that file type to iTunes! If she then tries to associate MP3 files with
iTunes, this will override my MP3 file association, too.

Is this by design? Are file associations global, and not local to a
particular account? It seems like I should be able to set associations on an
account-by-account basis.

Any advice or help would be greatly appreciate!

Thanks,
Phil

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Phil,

Is this by design?
Yes.

Are file associations global, and not local to a particular account?
Correct.

It seems like I should be able to set associations on an
account-by-account basis.

It sounds nice, but can you imagine the amount of coding that would be
necessary for each user to have their own system file set? It's just nor
reasonable or feasible to expect that. It would be like having a single
installation of the operating system for each user.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org