Shortcuts all changed to Word

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

I don't know how my daughter did it, but suddenly all of the desktop icons
are the Word graphic and all link to Word (the name below each is still for
the correct program). Even the program menu now links everything to Word.
Naturally, she says she didn't do anything. I tried using System Restore,
but can't get it back to where it was just a few days ago. We're running XP
Home Edition on a Compaq laptop. Help!
 
Alan - thanks for the help, but I need more. I was able to open the LNK fix
file with Notepad, and I was able to get into my Registry file, but I don't
know what to do next. Can you give me some guidance before I really screw
something up?

Jim
 
Why did you open it in Notepad?
That will do nothing except view it.
Rightclick the .reg file and select Merge.
Confirm when asked.
That is all you should have to do.

....Alan
 
Well, I opened in Notepad because there was a reference to doing that on the
dougknox site and I couldn't figure out what else to do.

Here's what I've managed to do:
- download the lnkfile_fix zipped folder
- extract the lnkfile_fix reg file to my desktop

And that's as far as I can get. If I right click on the reg file, I don't
get a merge or import option, just open, cut, copy, delete and properties.
If I double-click it, it just opens in notepad. I'm feeling seriously
moronic about now.

Jim
 
The reference to Notepad was only so you could see what was in it
instead of using it blindly.

You seem to have done it correctly but you are getting a message that
indicates to me that you are right-clicking the file from within the
..zip file and have not extracted it correctly.
Can you try extracting it again? To another folder perhaps? (though it
shouldn't be necessary)

Just in case there is something strange about your .reg file
association, find another .reg file and right-click it to see if Edit
and Merge are options as they should be.

....Alan
 
Tried re-extracting and it didn't work. I think I'm doing it right - I'm
using the Extraction Wizard. Had been extracting to desktop, but tried
extracting to the Program directory and got the same result.

Found some reg files and when I right-click on any of them, I get open
containing folder/open/edit/open with/Scan with Norton/Send
to/Cut/Copy/Create Shortcut/delete/rename/properties. No merge.
 
Again, what you have done seems OK.
I just drag it out of the .zip but it makes no difference. The Extract
Wizard is OK. I generally drag it to a folder with 8 characters or
less and without spaces as I still remember the trouble in Win9x by
using Long File Names for .reg files. (You don't seem to have the
problem or you would get a different message)

You are not getting the correct right-click on a .reg file. so perhaps
that association is corrupted?
Get the REG association fix from the same site but you can Import
either .reg file rather than Merge with not much more trouble.
Open Regedit.
(Start-Run-Regedit)
Use File-Import and import the .reg file.

....Alan
 
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