Windows Vista native archiver file tool?

[Daze N. Knights]

I installed an archiver tool called IZArc and assoicated all the archive
file formats (zip, rar, etc, etc) with it. After decided to uninstall it
and return to using Vista's native archive file management tool
(whatever it may be), I deselected all of the file associations in IZArc
and uninstalled the program. Unfortunately, all of those file
associations didn't automatically revert to the native tool provided as
part of Windows Vista. I know where and how to change file
associations (Control Panel > Default Programs > Associate a file type
or protocol with a program), but I haven't a clue what the native
program is or where to find it? Can anyone clue me in?

 

[Alexander Suhovey]

Here's a web site that has several reg files to restore file associations on
XP including ZIP files.
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

I guess it should work on Vista too but just in case, don't forget to create
manual restore point before using those reg files on Vista..

 

[Scott]

I installed an archiver tool called IZArc and assoicated all the archive
file formats (zip, rar, etc, etc) with it. After decided to uninstall it
and return to using Vista's native archive file management tool
(whatever it may be), I deselected all of the file associations in IZArc
and uninstalled the program. Unfortunately, all of those file
associations didn't automatically revert to the native tool provided as
part of Windows Vista. I know where and how to change file
associations (Control Panel > Default Programs > Associate a file type
or protocol with a program), but I haven't a clue what the native
program is or where to find it? Can anyone clue me in?

IZArc is a pretty cool program, but I prefer 7-Zip. However, I don't
associate it with .zip, .cab or .iso files.

To restore the Windows Zip file integration quickly, type WinKey+R and
then:

REGSVR32 ZIPFLDR.DLL

If that does not help, try this. WinKey+R:
cmd /c assoc .zip=CompressedFolder

 

[Daze N. Knights]

Yes, I like IZArc, but for some reason, in Vista on this particular box,
it refuses to create context menu entries, which I was used to using.
Anyway, I thought I'd return to the native solution, found I couldn't,
and wondered how to get back to it.

Unfortunately, neither of your commands worked. The first just earned a
message complaining about not knowing what zipfldr.dll was, the second
seemed a go but resulted in no change even after a reboot.

 

[Daze N. Knights]

Hmm. I'll think that one over, being a little unsure of making reg
changes meant for XP in Vista. Also, IZArc had about thirty different
archive files associated with it, besides ZIP, that I'd like to assign
to the native Windows tool. I'd hoped there might be a specific program
file that I could point all of those associations at . . .

Meanwhile, I've emailed Ivan, the author of IZArc to see if he can
supply me with a solution.

 

[Scott]

Yes, I like IZArc, but for some reason, in Vista on this particular box,
it refuses to create context menu entries, which I was used to using.
Anyway, I thought I'd return to the native solution, found I couldn't,
and wondered how to get back to it.

Unfortunately, neither of your commands worked. The first just earned a
message complaining about not knowing what zipfldr.dll was, the second
seemed a go but resulted in no change even after a reboot.

OK, scratch those.

This next one I actually tried (the others I just found via Google
searches, were WinXP commands and similar enough to what's in Vista
that I thought they'd work).

OK.....

Start menu
Type "command" in the search box
Then right click on "Command Prompt" as is now shown above in the menu
and select "Run as Administrator"

In the command window type

assoc .zip=CompressedFolder

That will restore .zip files to their original Windows Explorer
associations.

As far as other file types that IzArc took over, most of them are
various kinds of compressed files (e.g. .7z, .rar, .ace, tar,
..gz....). Unless you had other programs associated with them
previously, there's nothing to associate them with again.

With the exception of the unique "Compressed Folder" file type, most
files can be associated with a program via the "open with" command on
the file's context menu (obviously the program has to be capable of
opening the file).

 

[Alexander Suhovey]

Oddly enough, on my system assoc reports .zip extension associated with
CompressedFolder file type although when I click on ZIP file, it opens in
7-Zip window instead of Windows Explorer. OTOH, Control Panel applet shows
..zip associated with 7-Zip File Manager as expected.

==================================
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6000]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\>assoc .zip
..zip=CompressedFolder

C:\>ftype CompressedFolder
CompressedFolder=%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /idlist,%I,%L

C:\>
==================================

 

[Daze N. Knights]

Inline:

OK.....

Start menu
Type "command" in the search box
Then right click on "Command Prompt" as is now shown above in the menu
and select "Run as Administrator"

In the command window type

assoc .zip=CompressedFolder

That will restore .zip files to their original Windows Explorer
associations.

And that it did! Thank you very much!

As far as other file types that IzArc took over, most of them are
various kinds of compressed files (e.g. .7z, .rar, .ace, tar,
.gz....). Unless you had other programs associated with them
previously, there's nothing to associate them with again.

Yes, not really of importance, anyway, since I don't use them, except
for .rar, which I have associated with WinRAR. And I suppose that I
could probably use the same basic command to associate any of those
compressed file types to "Compressed Folder," if I wanted, could I not?

With the exception of the unique "Compressed Folder" file type, most
files can be associated with a program via the "open with" command on
the file's context menu (obviously the program has to be capable of
opening the file).

Yep, I'm aware of that.

 

[Daze N. Knights]

Having changed my .zip association back to CompressedFolder, I see that
it is no longer listed at all in my file associations.

 

[Alexander Suhovey]

And I suppose that I could probably use the same basic command to
associate any of those compressed file types to "Compressed Folder," if I
wanted, could I not?

You could, but that doesn't mean that Windows Explorer will actually open
those archives. I'm quite positive Windows Explorer works only with ZIP
archives and won't open RAR or other archive types so associating any
extension other than .ZIP with CompressesFolder file type doesn't make much
sense.