Restore and Reset File Association in Windows Vista Back to Original Default
Windows Vista allows user to change and set default program association for most kind of file extension type via Control Panel’s “Set Associations” or “Set Default Programs” under “Default Programs” link. However, there is no option or way to reset or restore the file type or file extension association to back to original default the is configured in factory-pre-installed or freshly installed Windows Vista.
List of programs available under “Set Default Programs” link, such as Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office Outlook, Windows Calender, Windows Mail, Windows Media Player and Windows Photo Gallery has defined their own default supported file extensions, types and protocols. And, user can easily set the program as the default program to use to open all file types and protocols it can open. Even so, it may not be the default file association that configured in Windows Vista originally.
Unless user remembers and knows the original file association and change the default program for the kind of file type accordingly using the graphical user interface (GUI) in Control Panel, else here’s another workaround to restore and reset the file association to the default Windows Vista version of file association.
- Click Start Menu, and then type regedit in the Start Search and press ENTER.
- Navigate to the following registry branch:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\FileExts\[ext]
Replace the [exe] with the actual file extension that you want to restore its file type association to revert back to original Windows Vista default. If you unsure, simply browse through all the sub-key under FileExts.
- Delete the sub-key named UserChoice.
- Exit from Registry Editor.
Windows Vista will now use original file associations that comes built into system for the particular file extensions with “UserChoice” deleted. However, the trick is not foolproof, especially if the other related system registry keys for the particular extension have been corrupted or broken. In such cases, it may be necessary to fix the file association by restoring its registry settings.
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August 6th, 2008 05:07
I cannot even open regedit. It opens the box that says “This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set Association Control Panel.” Somebody, please help me.
September 11th, 2008 05:44
here is a quicker/simpler way to restore .zip file association in Vista.
In Start Search type “cmd /c assoc .zip=CompressedFolder” without quotes and press enter.
September 30th, 2008 05:24
How would I restore the .zip association in XP?
October 20th, 2008 22:29
Bom dia amigos, tudo bem ? estou com um enorme problema, recentemente formatei meu computador com Windows Vista, e instalei o Windows XP, fiz back-up dos meus documentos, e-mails e contatos do Windows mail, importei os e-mails seguindo tutorial que encontrei na internet, até ai tudo bem, meus e-mails estão agora no outlook express sem problemas, acontece que eu não consigo importar nem exportar os contatos… ele salvou com a extensão .contact como faço para importar para o outlook express ??? existe alguma forma de mudar a extensão ??? Me ajudem por favor tenho mais de 200 contatos que não gostaria de perder… Desde já agradeço a atenção de todos. Os contatos estão da seguinte forma: EX:.josecarlos.contact, ricardo pereira.contact e assim por diante.
November 19th, 2008 01:26
fiquei com duvidas apartir do passo numero 2. porque aqui no meu Editor de Registro porque aqui só tem a opção [exe] e não tem [ext]
o que eu faço agora ? clico no que tem?