desktop icons

[tebowler]

I am 76 years old and not very computer literate

Recently I was given a laptop fot my birthday,to replace my desktop computer,Both have XP professional.

I have been able to put shortcut icons (such as my bank) onto my computer desktop for easy access.

I am able to do the same on my laptop, but when I try to open them up,the following message appears "This file does not have a program associated with it to perform this action.Create an association in folder options control panel."

I do not know how to do this.Can anyone help using simple language please. Ted

[maynardvdm]

Hi Ted

 

Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

 

What program does it say this for? Is it only the one program or all program icons?

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello

It applies to pages I have opened up from the internet,such as Barclays Bank. Ted

[maynardvdm]

ok

 

I assume the file extension is html

 

Go to Start -> Control Panel like this:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn297/Mjfreepchelp/cntrpnl.png

 

Double click on Folder Options and click on the File Types tab

 

Scoll down to HTML and make sure it says Internet Explorer (assuming you use Internet Explorer as your browser) next to "Opens With"

[Seth]

Please download the default association BAT (zipped) file from here:

 

Easy File Associations

 

Download it to to the desktop, right click it on it to extract, then double click on the .bat file icon that appears. Restart the computer and you should be good to go unless XP has other issues.

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

hello again

maynardvdm. It was exactly the way you explained.

seth. The desktop icon is xp_fileassoc.zip,I clicked on it and a window opened with the same icon,I clicked that and another window opened,saying File download -security warning.Asking if I was sure I wanted to download .I clicked run.I then attempted to open a bank icon on the laptop with the same result as before.

regards Ted

[maynardvdm]

Hi Ted

 

Are you still having the problem?

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello Maynardvdm

Im sorry I should have said.Yes the problem is still with me.

Ted

[maynardvdm]

Right-click on that file on your desktop and select "open with" then choose internet explorer (if you want it to open with internet explorer) and at the bottom of that window uncheck remember this action.

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello Maynardvdm

I am able to select"open with"but when choose "internet explorer" either by left or right click, a window opens called C;\Documents and Settings\MyPC\Desktop\xp_fileassoc.zip with one icon "xp_fileassoc.bat".

I cant find "remember this action" to uncheck.

Ted

[maynardvdm]

In the following link, download the HTM/HTML Associations:

Windows XP File Association Fixes

 

It says at the top of that link what to do. Tell us if you still have problems after that.

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

I have tried to read and understand the information on the top of the link,without success. Im lost

[Seth]

The link for the file I gave you will restore all of XP's file associations to their defaults. It is a compressed file, so it needs to be de-compressed (extracted).

 

Once the file is downloaded to the desktop, right click on it, and a menu will appear. From the menu, left click on "Extract all". An option with a checkbox will appear to "show extracted files" (make sure there is a check mark in that option). Once the file is extracted, a new window will open with a file called "XP_fileassoc.bat". Using the left mouse button, double click on the file and a black window will appear with scrolling lines. Once that window disappears, restart the computer and test the shortcuts.

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

seth

I now have five icons on my desktop.

1. xp_fileassociation.zip

2. xp_fileassociation.bat

3. html_association.fix.zip

4. xp_fileassoc

5. xp_fileassoc.txt-notepad

Only 1 and 3 have menus with extract all files.

I have tried both without success

[Seth]

That's fine Tebowler.

 

The important file (icon) on your desktop is:

 

xp_fileassociation.bat

 

Using the left mouse button, double click on the file and a black window will appear with scrolling lines. Once that window disappears, restart the computer and test the shortcuts.

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

hello seth.

Everything went as you said, but again when I try to open the internet created icons, the usual message appears.

When I refer to internet icons,this excludes such things as google earth and skype where I downloaded a programme.

Ted

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello

Have I done something wrong or upset someone.

Ive heard nothing since the 23 May

The problem is still with me

[Seth]

Sorry about that Ted, but sometimes things get lost in the midst of it all.

 

 

Right click on one of the shortcuts that isn't working, then left click on "Properties". What does it say in the heading "Type of File"?

[Seth]

Continued from above...

 

It will be easier if you printed this out:

 

Left click on this line:

 

HTM/HTML Associations

 

Now save that file to the desktop. Once the file is downloaded to the desktop, right click on it (it will be called "HTML Association", and a menu will appear. From the menu, left click on "Extract all" and keep clicking "Next" until an option with a checkbox appears to "show extracted files" (make sure there is a check mark in that option) and finish the extraction.

 

Once the file is extracted, a new window will open with a file called "html_association_fix.reg". Using the left mouse button, double click on the file and choose "Run". Follow through until you receive a message that the information was added to the registry. Now restart the computer and test the shortcuts.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Seth

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello Seth.

Thanks for the contact.I was getting worried.

 

The answer to the question,"type of file" is Internet Shortcut.

On the second part,when I click "run".A page opens up headed

html_association_fix reg-notepad,with lots of text example.

Windows registry editor version 5.00

(hkey_classes_root\.htm\openwithlist) page exe

( " " " " " ) notepad exe

( " " " " " ) winword exe

 

So I did not get to receive a message that the information was added to the registry.I did a restart but no joy.

[Goku]

Hello Maynardvdm

I am able to select"open with"but when choose "internet explorer" either by left or right click, a window opens called C;\Documents and Settings\MyPC\Desktop\xp_fileassoc.zip with one icon "xp_fileassoc.bat".

I cant find "remember this action" to uncheck.

Ted

Here. Try this and see if it helps or not.

 

1) Click on Start.

2) Select Run and enter the following command in the Open box.

 

regsvr32 /i shimgvw.dll

 

3) Click Ok.

4) After some time, a message box should pop up that should say:

 

DllRegisterServer and DllInstall in shiwgvw.dll succeeded.

 

Now try and run the file. See if it works or not. By the way, can you tell us what extension the file you are trying to open is. Read these articles to get a basic idea on how to make extensions appear in Windows XP.

 

Configuring Windows To Show Extensions

 

How do I show file extensions in Windows?

 

After it is done, note down the file extension and undo the changes. They will be the usual three or four letters appearing after the dot. If no extension appears, then state so in your next post and I will give you further instructions. Good Luck. :)

 

-- Goku

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello Goko

I was able to get the message pop up ok,but again no success opening the desktop icon.

I also looked at "Hide extension for known files" that was unchecked already.

Where do I look for file extensions you say after the dot,could you give me an example please

Ted

[Goku]

Hello Goko

I was able to get the message pop up ok,but again no success opening the desktop icon.

I also looked at "Hide extension for known files" that was unchecked already.

Where do I look for file extensions you say after the dot,could you give me an example please

Ted

For example, if you have a *.html file on the desktop named Goku, then in the default Windows configuration, it would appear as Goku. However, when you have modified the settings described in the above article, the file on desktop will appear as Goku.html. The last four letters which were previously "invisible" will now appear. If you can't see any letters or any dot in the file, simply put .html and press Enter. Now try and see if the file opens or not. If it does not, then configure your other laptop to show what extension is the file in question. Then change to it and you should be able to open it. Post back the results as soon as possible. :)

 

-- Goku

[Seth]

Go to the site and create a new shortcut. What happens now?

[tebowler]

desktop icons

 

Hello Giku

I dont understand the example.

On my desktop computer The icon has a box under, which has my bank name, or Ebay,I click on it and it opens up.

On my laptop I do the same and it does'nt, I just get the message I originally refered to.

 

Hello Seth.

I tried but got the same result.