Resetting all WinXP Pro Registered File Types to default.
Gabites@discussions.microsoft.com Raymond Gabites
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)?
VanguardLH
Raymond Gabites
"VanguardLH" wrote:
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...
VanguardLH
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)?
Raymond Gabites
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.
ju.c
all of the "default" associations that XP ships with:
http://dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_fileassoc.zip
ju.c
"Raymond Gabites" <Raymond...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D7CB14F3-AE16-45AF...@microsoft.com...
VanguardLH
> 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.
ju.c
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:e6CX375H...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
VanguardLH
> 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$XgcHJH...@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 [sub]thread(s) to get up to speed on the discussion already in
progress before you joined.