Reset and Fix Broken Windows Vista File Ext and Type Associations (Include EXE, COM, SYS, ZIP, LNK, Folder, Drive)
Windows Vista file type and file extension associations may be corrupted, broken and go haywire, causing files with some extensions cannot be opened properly. For example, some third party programs may wrongly set or assign file associations for extensions that not supposed to have a default program such as .exe, .com, .sys, .lnk, folder, directory, drive etc. (actually these special system files has unique associations which is not supposed to be another programs, so that Windows know to handle them accordingly).
Some programs that known to cause such problem including Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE with “Lock executable file associations” option enabled in Ad-Watch via automatic setting, which blocks registry changes related to file associations when new software application is installed or updated. Another possibly problematic app is dTools, which may delete or remove associated default program and icon for .exe, .sys, .scr, .rll, .pko, .pif, .ocx, .wmdb, .wsp, .xmp, .tpl and other extension types. Sometimes, user may accidentally unassociate or delete the file association too, or assign an extension such as shortcut with .lnk to a wrong program when forget to uncheck “Always use this program to open this type of file” option.
When a file type association for an extension is deleted or not found, the icon for the file type becomes blank in the shape of empty white paper. And when user double clicks or run the affected file of the kind of extension type, syste will prompt user with a “Open With” dialog to find a program to open the file with.
The problem is especially worse when the file association for executable with .exe extensions is broken, causing programs such as Adobe Reader, Internet Explorer, Notepad, System Restore, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and even Registry Editor (which is necessary to fix the invalid file association problem) cannot be started, and unable to launch or execute.
Windows Vista basic file extension Set Association management interface cannot reset and fix the corrupted or invalid file association back to factory default, or at least back to a workable state. As a workaround, user can try to manually remove the user-choice file association to restore back to Windows default file type and extension association.
If the manual deletion of user customized file association does not work, or want to direct yet simple fix for the file type and file extension association problem, Winhelponline.com has provided a few registry files that fix and reset several common file associations in Windows Vista back to its original default as if right after fresh installation.
The file association fixes for the following file extensions are available, which can be downloaded in ZIP format which contains a .reg file. Execute the registration entries file to merge the registry keys and values to replace and reset the existing system registry.
- audiocd
- avi
- bat
- bmp
- chm
- cmd
- com
- dvr-ms
- exe
- gif
- htm
- html
- ico
- inf
- jpe
- jpeg
- jpg
- js
- lnk
- mp3
- mpe
- mpeg
- mpg
- msc
- reg
- scr
- tif
- tiff
- txt
- vbs
- wma
- wmv
- xml
- xps
- zip
- Folder
- Directory
- Drive
For user who wants all the file association fixes, here’s a compressed zip file vista_extfix.zip that contains all of the individual file extension association fixes above.
Note that to apply the registration entries file (the .reg file downloaded), user must right click on the .reg file and select “Run as Administrator” to apply the file association fix for the respective file type and extension.
Share and contribute or get technical support and help at My Digital Life Forums.
Related Articles
- How to Edit or Change File Type or Extension Associations (Default Programs) in Windows Vista
- Reset Always Ask Before Opening This Type Of File Check Box in Vista IE
- How to Unassociate File Types and Remove File Extension Associations in Windows Vista
- Windows Vista File Associations Advanced Editing Management Tools
- Delete and Reset Windows Vista Folder Views or Folder Types Settings to Default Clean State
- Reset “Always Warn Before Previewing This Type of File” Setting in Outlook 2007
- Fix Application Programs Cannot or Unable to Set Associations for Supported File Extensions Problem in Vista
- Restore and Reset File Association in Windows Vista Back to Original Default
- Disable Automatic Folder Type Discovery for Templates in Vista
- Easy Method to ReArm and Reset Windows Vista Activation for Unlimited Times with Vista Reset


























August 14th, 2008 22:12
[...] that contains all of the individual file extension association fixes above. More from here in [...]
September 14th, 2008 04:41
OMG thak you so much it worked perfectly!
October 18th, 2008 12:04
Need .bin
This seems to be what i need. but i need the registry fix for (.bin).
i’ve tried manually deleting and editing the registry entry for .bin, but every time i try to access the file, it just opens it with the same incorrect program. i can’t seem to un-associate it.
i hope you can help.
Thank you.
ps-thanks for sharing knowledge. without sites like this, i’d have even more troubles.
October 22nd, 2008 03:27
You are a legend, I a computer beginner and I accidentaly changed all my exe files default program as utorrent. Imagine my panic!
The link worked fab i uploaded the zip files and it fixed all the problems.
Cheers again
October 27th, 2008 17:38
erm yeh, problem is I CANT RUN A WINRAR INSTALL PLZ HELP!!!!
November 11th, 2008 02:40
[...] Une astuce ici:: Associations de fichiers sous Windows Vista - La solution ou aussi ici: Reset and Fix Broken Windows Vista File Ext and Type Associations (Include EXE, COM, SYS, ZIP, LNK, … G