Windows XP File Association Fixes
Copyright 2003 – Doug Knox
Original article is posted here. In this page I’ve added links to REG files.
The files listed here are all ZIP files, which contain a REG (Registry) file. Download the ZIP and open it. Extract the REG file to your hard disk and double click it. Answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad. Each of the REG files contains the default settings for the file extension indicated.
NOTE: If your EXE file associations are corrupted, it can be difficult to open REGEDIT, or to even import REG files. To work around this, press CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task Manager. Once there, click File, then hold down the CTRL key and click New Task (Run). This will open a Command Prompt window. Enter REGEDIT.EXE and press Enter.
Thanks to Nigel Andrews for this tip.
The BAT file (zipped) that will restore all of the “default” associations that XP ships with can be downloaded here or from the author’s page here.
| Batch File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| CAB File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| CHM File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| COM File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| CPL File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| Directory Extension Fix | Zip | Reg |
| Drive Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| EML File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| EXE File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| Folder Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| GIF File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| HLP File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| HTA File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| HTM/HTML Associations | Zip | Reg |
| ICO File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| INF File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| Internet Explorer Desktop Icon Fix | Zip | Reg |
| JPE/JPG/JPEG Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| MPG/MPEG File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| MSC File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| MSI File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| MSP File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| REG File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| SCF File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| SCR File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| TXT File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| TIF/TIFF File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| URL File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| VBS File Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
| ZIP Folder Association Fix | Zip | Reg |
used the BAT file and it worked well. Restored all the file associations.