Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

[Guest Raymond Gabites]

I have a user that has managed to corrupt most of their File Types in

Explorer. As this effects more than one type, I was wondering if there was a

way to re-set this list to their default settings (short of re-installing

their OS)?

[Guest VanguardLH]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

Raymond Gabites wrote:

> I have a user that has managed to corrupt most of their File Types in

> Explorer. As this effects more than one type, I was wondering if there was a

> way to re-set this list to their default settings (short of re-installing

> their OS)?

 

Found through a Google search:

 

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

[Guest Raymond Gabites]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

 

 

"VanguardLH" wrote:

> Raymond Gabites wrote:

>

> > I have a user that has managed to corrupt most of their File Types in

> > Explorer. As this effects more than one type, I was wondering if there was a

> > way to re-set this list to their default settings (short of re-installing

> > their OS)?

>

> Found through a Google search:

>

> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

>

 

Yes, I found them also, but I almost need to reset all MIME types in the

registered file types. This site helped to fix a few of the issues, but not

all of them. Thanks anyway...

[Guest VanguardLH]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

Raymond Gabites wrote:

> "VanguardLH" wrote:

>

>> Raymond Gabites wrote:

>>

>>> I have a user that has managed to corrupt most of their File Types

>>> in Explorer. As this effects more than one type, I was wondering

>>> if there was a way to re-set this list to their default settings

>>> (short of re-installing their OS)?

>>

>> Found through a Google search:

>>

>> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

>

> Yes, I found them also, but I almost need to reset all MIME types in

> the registered file types. This site helped to fix a few of the

> issues, but not all of them. Thanks anyway...

 

Many filetypes are not defined until you install the software that

wants to use that filetype association. Could be you have a lot of

those and merely need to delete them (but then the apps, if still

installed, won't work or not behave properly).

 

A filetype association that is invalid (i.e., has no handler identified

or points to a server [file] that doesn't exist) doesn't do any harm

other than waste some bytes in the .dat registry files. Provided you

are expert at editing the registry, have you used a registry cleaner to

figure out how many of those filetypes actually are superfluous since

they point to a handler that no longer exists? After doing that

cleanup, go into the programs that let the user select which filetypes

it will handle, select them, and they'll get recreated for use by that

application. For example, I might install a program that rudely yanks

filetypes to itself but I want them used by another program so, for

example, I might go into Quicktime to have it yank back its filetypes

and then go into Windows Media Player to yank back its filetypes

(including those that Quicktime yanked to itself). I have to wonder if

the filetype or MIME handlers are "broken" then just what are you going

to "fix" them to use. If the application doesn't exist that will handle

the file or media type, what good would it do to change them? If the

application still exists, it should have an option to select what it

handles and, if not, an uninstall and reinstall will have it rudely grab

or create those associations. If the handler doesn't exist, "fixing" by

changing back to defaults won't fix anything.

 

If you don't want to use the minimal Filetypes editing in Folder Options

-> Filetypes and using the 'assoc' command line utility doesn't appeal

to you, you could use Nirsoft's FileTypesMan utility. You could then

use it to edit the filetypes to match those from a "good" host. For the

MIME types, see if Nirsoft's MMCompView lets you see and do what you

want.

 

You sure the problem is really with the file and MIME associations?

Maybe the problem is your "user" installed rogue, corrupted, or malware

codecs. These run code to decode multimedia content (well, that's what

they're supposed to do if they aren't rogue or malware codecs). Nirsoft

has their InstalledCodec utility plus the already mentioned MMCompView

will show the list of codecs on your host. Some programs add their own

codecs at install time. Some you have to get from the vendor of the

codec so beware of whose codec you are installing. Free-codecs.com has

many of them but I've never used them other than to trial their

alternative RealPlayer and alternative Quicktime players. I've read

where many folks will get their K-Lite Codec Pack to replace corrupted

or missing codecs. Again, I've never used it. I've been lucky in not

needing to use them. My media needs are sated with the codecs that came

with Windows or the various applications that included their own. I

also configured Windows Media Player (and any similar player) to NEVER

automatically download a codec. I don't need everyone's and anyone's

codec installed on my host because that site decided they wanted to use

some custom codec or provide encoded content that requires some oddball

codec that I've never heard of (so look into your user's WMP settings to

see if they allow auto-install of codecs). When I get prompted to

install yet another codec, I almost always say No. But, hey, if your

codecs are screwed and you're considering a fresh reinstall then it

won't hurt to trying installing the K-Lite package.

 

Before doing a fresh reinstall, I'd try a repair (inplace upgrade) using

the install CD to see if that reverted the filetypes and mime handlers

back to the defaults. If you "have a user" (which makes it sound like

you manage hosts at a corporation) then why don't you have standard

images to restore the host back to the state they where when the

employee first got the host (and ensure only company-approved software

is on those hosts)?

[Guest Raymond Gabites]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

Yes, I am looking after a corperation, small as it is. The only problem is

they have been relying on white box computers for a while, and I am trying to

get them into a deel with a major computer supplier (Dell, HP, etc...). This

does not help me at this time, as I don't have anything other than the

recovery CD for this computer.

 

I will have a look into your suggestions, but the company provided software

requires that the standard user is a local admin (I have also been trying to

get figure out how to change this, but it is not easy as they have 10-15 in

house applications to work through, but I am getting there).

 

At this time, I am not sure what the user has done to their system, and it

is somethign different almost every other week... What little hair I had

when I started here is slowly disappearing...

 

Thanks for the help and advise in this matter.

[Guest ju.c]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

You can download a BAT file (zipped) that will restore

all of the "default" associations that XP ships with:

 

http://dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_fileassoc.zip

 

 

ju.c

 

 

"Raymond Gabites" <RaymondGabites@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:D7CB14F3-AE16-45AF-915F-D06BC357279F@microsoft.com...

> Yes, I am looking after a corperation, small as it is. The only problem is

> they have been relying on white box computers for a while, and I am trying to

> get them into a deel with a major computer supplier (Dell, HP, etc...). This

> does not help me at this time, as I don't have anything other than the

> recovery CD for this computer.

>

> I will have a look into your suggestions, but the company provided software

> requires that the standard user is a local admin (I have also been trying to

> get figure out how to change this, but it is not easy as they have 10-15 in

> house applications to work through, but I am getting there).

>

> At this time, I am not sure what the user has done to their system, and it

> is somethign different almost every other week... What little hair I had

> when I started here is slowly disappearing...

>

> Thanks for the help and advise in this matter.

[Guest VanguardLH]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

ju.c wrote:

> You can download a BAT file (zipped) that will restore

> all of the "default" associations that XP ships with:

>

> http://dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_fileassoc.zip

 

When responding, it's best to read all the prior posts before adding

yours. Read my first post. The OP didn't like that solution as it

wasn't complete enough for him or his user.

 

When the user so fvcks over their host that it requires tons of work to

get it back to not only a prior state but also a stable state for

reliable usage, often if it better to simply slam their fingers in the

drawer and flatten the host back to a sysprep or ghost image, a standard

one provided to all employees. Sometimes it is better and more cost

effective to flatten and restart than try to repair. Eventually they'll

learn that the company's property is not their property and might stop

or reduce their polluting and tweaking the cr@p out of it. After all,

it's not the IT folks' responsibility to support unsupported

configurations.

[Guest ju.c]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

> "When responding, it's best to read all the prior posts before adding yours."

 

Sorry, but how can I read something that doesn't exist?

That's what happens when people remove pieces of a thread.

 

 

ju.c

 

 

"VanguardLH" <V@nguard.LH> wrote in message news:e6CX375HJHA.3548@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> ju.c wrote:

>

>> You can download a BAT file (zipped) that will restore

>> all of the "default" associations that XP ships with:

>>

>> http://dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_fileassoc.zip

>

> When responding, it's best to read all the prior posts before adding

> yours. Read my first post. The OP didn't like that solution as it

> wasn't complete enough for him or his user.

>

> When the user so fvcks over their host that it requires tons of work to

> get it back to not only a prior state but also a stable state for

> reliable usage, often if it better to simply slam their fingers in the

> drawer and flatten the host back to a sysprep or ghost image, a standard

> one provided to all employees. Sometimes it is better and more cost

> effective to flatten and restart than try to repair. Eventually they'll

> learn that the company's property is not their property and might stop

> or reduce their polluting and tweaking the cr@p out of it. After all,

> it's not the IT folks' responsibility to support unsupported

> configurations.

[Guest VanguardLH]

Re: Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.

 

ju.c wrote:

> Sorry, but how can I read something that doesn't exist?

> That's what happens when people remove pieces of a thread.

 

In Windows Live Mail, you need to configure it to thread together the

posts within a thread. Right after the original post, mine was the

first reply (and currently there's only one subthread for this

discussion). If you still can't see it then something is wrong with WLM

or with your newserver in not having a copy of the prior posts

comprising this thread. Try the following links:

 

news:e2C$XgcHJHA.4884@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl

or

http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/ffe3d24e303c4d04

(use More Options to see the thread view)

 

If you haven't learned how to snip your replies (and probably why you

are complaining about replies not carrying forward every scrap of

detail) then it's time you learn to snip posts so that only relevant

info is present in your reply. Do you reread all prior chapters when

you return to reading a book? You can read the prior chapters if you

need to catch up. That's why threading works: you can go back through

the _{thread(s) to get up to speed on the discussion already in}

_{progress before you joined.}