Missing/corrupt file associations - no programs work

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Guest

My client has an HP laptop and recently tried to download and install Norton
Antivirus. he had problems doing it - it ran forever - and when I received
the computer all the file associations are gone. It is very difficult to
navigate to anything - internet explorer's blue E shows as does Outlook's
icon but everything else is the generic unknown program type of icon. I have
found doug knox site with various fixes but they are unrecognized and will
not work on the laptop. I took the drive out and scanned and viewed it in
another computer - the file structure appears intact and I was able to back
up all the documents. Not sure how to proceed to resolved this. Any help
would be appreciated.

I can only get to regedit by using ctrl-alt-del and then clicking file and
holding down ctrl while selecting new. Is t here a regedit I can use to
restore the ability to recognize .reg files?

I can also access explorer at the command prompt - and can view the file
associations screen - but the options are grayed out - so no changes can be
made.

Kathie
 
See if one of the File Association EXE fixes below helps for .exe files.

After .exe files are fixed go back to Doug Knox's for the other fixes...

Windows® XP File Association Fixes
Copyright 2003 - Doug Knox
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

File Association EXE fixes...

EXE files always open with Notepad or any other application
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/exeasso.htm

Cannot run EXE files - Programs don't open
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/exefile.htm

You receive an error message when you try to start a program that has an
..exe file name extension
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=837334

You Are Unable to Start a Program with an .exe File Extension
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=310585

You cannot start programs when your computer is infected with the SirCam
virus
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=311446

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
I've tried the suggestions without success. In trying to set the default
value for the exefile key I get a message - error editing value cannot edit:
error reading the value's contents. I cannot get any of the file association
fixes from the dougknox site to be recognized on the laptop. Next step?

Kathie
 
Just a couple other notes - login is normal; screensaver cycles through my
pictures; when I turn off computer it restarts even when I choose turn off;
there is a blue screen that flashes by an instant before it goes blank - I
saw something about make sure there is enough space but cannot read it - and
the pause does not freeze it. The drive is not full - it is about 60 GB with
about 20 GB used

Kathie
 
Try this...
Reset the registry permissions
As soon as you have found the registry subkey that has the incorrect
permissions, exefile key, update the permissions for that subkey.

To update the permissions of the registry subkey, follow these steps:
a. Click Start, click Run, type regedit and then click OK to start
Registry Editor.
b. Locate and right-click the registry subkey:
and then click Permissions.
c. Under Group or user names, click Administrators.
d. Under Permissions for Administrators, make sure that the Allow check box
for the following entries is selected:
• Full Control
• Read
e. Click Apply and then click OK.
f. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.

Open the Registry Editor again and see if you can change the key now.

If not, try this...
Navigate to >>>
the said key
Right click the key in the left hand pane | Permissions... | Advanced
button | Owner tab | click the new owner and then click OK.

[[You can take ownership of a registry key if you are logged on as an
administrator or if you have been specifically assigned the permission to
take ownership of the registry key by the current owner. ]]

To assign permissions to a registry key
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...xp/all/proddocs/en-us/regedit_permit_key.mspx

To assign special access to a registry key
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...ll/proddocs/en-us/regedit_assign_specacc.mspx

To grant Full Control of a registry key
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/.../xp/all/proddocs/en-us/regedit_yield_own.mspx

To add users or groups to the audit list
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...proddocs/en-us/regedit_audit_key_adduser.mspx

To add users or groups to the Permissions list
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...roddocs/en-us/regedit_permit_key_adduser.mspx

To remove a user or group from the Permissions list
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...proddocs/en-us/regedit_permit_key_remove.mspx

To take ownership of a registry key
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/regedit_take_own.mspx

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
audreygreen = HoopleHead. You think the OP is coming back to read your
reply to a post made in 2006?

Brrnese wrote on 02/18/2006 20:18 ET :
My client has an HP laptop and recently tried to download and install Norton
Antivirus. he had problems doing it - it ran forever - and when I received
the computer all the file associations are gone. It is very difficult to
navigate to anything - internet explorer's blue E shows as does Outlook's
icon but everything else is the generic unknown program type of icon. I have
found doug knox site with various fixes but they are unrecognized and will
not work on the laptop. I took the drive out and scanned and viewed it in
another computer - the file structure appears intact and I was able to back
up all the documents. Not sure how to proceed to resolved this. Any help
would be appreciated.

I can only get to regedit by using ctrl-alt-del and then clicking file and
holding down ctrl while selecting new. Is t here a regedit I can use to
restore the ability to recognize .reg files?

I can also access explorer at the command prompt - and can view the file
associations screen - but the options are grayed out - so no changes can be
made.

Kathie
Click to expand...
Certainly looks like you have corrupted file associations in your registry.
Try
using file extension fixers like filecure to help you out.

[http://filetonic.com/blog/2009/12/06/fix-and-open-any-file-extension-with-filecure/]
It scans your computer and identifies the types of files currently installed
on
it. It then lists any file problems that it finds as well as file types that
are
currently working as expected. After that,it will fix broken file associations
and continue monitoring your computer for any file association changes.
Click to expand...
 
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