Windows 7 file association

Gone Drinking

Hi,

Friend of mine bought a new Dell laptop, its running windows 7. Some how he's managed to associate .exe files to adobe acrobat reader. Every executable in windows tries to open in acrobat.

Now i've searched online and a few people have had the same problem with Vista, and they've ran a registry fix which i tried, that didn't work. I've also read about what the values in the registry should be, had a look and they're all ok from what i can see.

I've also looked within acrobat to see if i can choose the files it associates itself with, but there's no options to do so.

Also tried system restore, no joy. I was going to reset the machine to its factory image because he'd only had it a day when this happened but when i go into the "Repair my computer" option in the F8 boot list, it just boots into windows

The only way i've found to fix it, is to uninstall acrobat but as soon as its reinstalled, its associated itself with executables again.

Next thought i'm having is to try a new profile?

Any other ideas?

docmol

Stating the obvious I know but you have tried: Control Panel => Default Programs => File Associate...

Gone Drinking

Hey Docmol,

Yea, i had a look there last night.. .exe isn't listed unfortunately.

Fysh

How in the hell has he managed to set the OS to ignore whether an application is executable and instead have all executables treated as if they were documents?

There's an element of "Don't go playing with things when you don't know what you're doing" to this post, I realise, but that's a pretty impressive sort of thing to achieve.

With Acrobat installed, go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Default Programs and see if it's listed as the default program for any file types - if so, you should be able to change them.

You can also check if there's an association set in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Associations; you probably won't be able to change it, though, or at least not through there.

The usual "run a full virus scan and have a look at anything naughty or stupid he may have done while he's had it that could cause problems" advice applies too.

Of course, part of me is tempted to suggest forcing a time-consuming reinstall accompanied by an extended litany of the form of "You're not the IT messiah, you're clearly a very naughty boy, don't do it again", just on the basis that he will either a) learn not to do something quite so stupid again, or b) at least not harass you about it if he does do it again. I've come to the conclusion that option c (learning more about his operating system so that he can fix it himself the next time he b0rks something) is far too optimistic to actually happen.

Gone Drinking

Hey Fysh,

Yea, i know.. its confusing, i really don't understand how he did it. His girlfriend downloaded acrobat for him, and when either running the install, or opening the downloaded file through IE, somehow associated it with executables..

From what i've gathered through google, there's a few windows 7 people who have managed to do it also, none of which have succeeded in fixing it.

As for your sugestion, in the default programs list, acrobat isn't listed.

I'd like to do a factory image restore, any idea why when i hit "Repair my computer" in the F8 boot screen it just loads into windows normally?

docmol

you need to catch it before you get to that option, you're not doing a repair but a reinstall. the factory image is probably on a hidden partition, and you need to boot from that partition. you might have to make that partition visible before you can boot from it (admin tools=>computer manager =>storage=>local disc) i hope that makes sense : )
Or better still is there a dvd lying around somewhere...

Adyx

Or you could uninstall Acrobat Reader and replace it with something like Foxit instead. Assuming executables work fine when acrobat is uninstalled.

Capt'n Midnight

http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/71434/jsi-tip-0108---manage-file-associations-from-the-command-line.html



Two commands, ASSOC and FTYPE, allow you to manage file associations from a command prompt (or in a batch file).

Typing ASSOC, without parameters, displays the currently defined extensions. Type Assoc .wav to display the .wav file association. Typing assoc .wav= will delete the .wav association.

Typing FTYPE without options displays the file types that have defined open command strings. Ftype SoundRec will display the open command string for the file type SoundRec. Typing ftype SoundRec= will delete the open command string.

To define a new association for .log files which you want to open with notepad:

assoc .log=LogFile
ftype LogFile=%Systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe %1

For a complete explanation, type ftype /? at a command prompt.



===================================

IIRC tweakui used to fix problems like this on earlier versions


back with more info laer

Fysh

If you want to do a factory image reinstall you need to catch it right as you boot - when you're prompted to enter the BIOS setup by hitting DEL or F2 you should also have an option to hit another key like F12 to choose what to boot from. If you've got a recovery partition, that should be in the list.

That said, some helpful manufacturers have decided that actually you should have to hold down several keys at the same time (possibly while saying 3 hail marys backwards and wearing only black) to boot into the recovery partition, so make yer man check his documentation...

Gone Drinking

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/71434/jsi-tip-0108---manage-file-associations-from-the-command-line.html



Two commands, ASSOC and FTYPE, allow you to manage file associations from a command prompt (or in a batch file).

Typing ASSOC, without parameters, displays the currently defined extensions. Type Assoc .wav to display the .wav file association. Typing assoc .wav= will delete the .wav association.

Typing FTYPE without options displays the file types that have defined open command strings. Ftype SoundRec will display the open command string for the file type SoundRec. Typing ftype SoundRec= will delete the open command string.

To define a new association for .log files which you want to open with notepad:

assoc .log=LogFile
ftype LogFile=%Systemroot%\System32\notepad.exe %1

For a complete explanation, type ftype /? at a command prompt.



===================================

IIRC tweakui used to fix problems like this on earlier versions


back with more info laer

This is where its confusing, the association for .exe is correct. the assoc is exefile, the ftype for that is "%1" %* which is what its supposed to be.

As for the recovery partition, its not listed. I suspect the factory image software, or image is corrupt so i think i'll just get the oem cds that came with the laptop and do the factory image from those.

Thanks for your help anyway lads

Capt'n Midnight

System Restore is worth a try



double check that it's .exe having the problem and not links .lnk

Gone Drinking

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

double check that it's .exe having the problem and not links .lnk

Oh i feel like a right prat!

Cheers Capt'n, was .lnk not .exe (facepalm), was able to sort it with a vista regfix

Cheers!