Resetting the default file association of windows 7. Restoring EXE file associations in Windows

File association violation is an unpleasant error that causes programs and files to open incorrectly. Let's say that all applications on the computer are launched through Windows Media Center. This program is used only for playing multimedia content; other files cannot be opened correctly through it by definition. To fix this error, you need to figure out how to restore file associations in Windows 7.

Bug fix

There are several ways to restore associations. Let's look at them all so that, if necessary, you can choose the appropriate method that will help solve the problem.

Important! Check your system for viruses before attempting to fix the situation. Perhaps the reason for the change in the launcher lies in the penetration of malicious code into the system.

To open with

Recovery archive

1. Find and download the special registry recovery archive ResetFileAssociations.zip.

Attention! This fix only works on Windows 7! For other versions of Windows, you need to use other archives, which can also be found on the Internet.

If you have a backup copy, you can restore the Windows 7 registry from it. For these purposes, you can also use backup files automatically created by the system, stored in the “Regback” folder on the system drive.

To make changes to the registry, you need to have administrator rights.

Special software

Kaspersky Lab specialists have developed the CleanAutoRun utility, which helps restore file associations after a virus attack. To fix errors with launching files and programs, open the CleanAutoRun utility and press any button.
Another useful program is AVZ, designed to configure Windows 7 and restore its working configuration.

1. Download the AVZ utility.
2. Expand the "File" menu and select "System Restore."
3. Check the “Restore file launch settings” option and click “Run”.

Alternatively, you can use the FileAssociationFixer program. Here you need to select the desired extension in the categories on the left and start the process of restoring the correct configuration.

Command line

Restart your computer and start in safe mode with command line support (F8 key at system startup and selecting the appropriate mode).
Type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:

assoc.exe = exefile

assoc.lnk= lnkfile

assoc.bat = batfile

If none of the above methods help, try installing Windows 7 again. However, in 99% of cases, one of the described recovery options will suit you, so it almost never comes to reinstallation.

Restore default file associations with programs using the Windows 7 registry.

Each file type is associated by Windows 7 with a program that launches automatically when you double-click on a file of this type. It is not always possible to restore the default program using standard Windows 7 tools. This happens in cases where information in the Windows 7 registry is damaged or deleted. Here you can download recovery files original registry settings responsible for associations of file types and programs.

Important: The registry files provided on this page are intended to only for Windows 7. Using the same tweaks on other Windows operating systems can lead to complete system inoperability.

Instructions

1. Click the file extension for which you want to restore the program to its default.

2. Download and unpack the ZIP archive with the name of the file type whose defaults you want to restore.

3. Double-click the .reg file and confirm adding data to the Windows 7 registry.

4. Restart your computer.

After this, the default program for this file type will be restored and the downloaded archive with the Windows 7 registry file can be deleted.

List of Windows 7 extensions (file types)

Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) - streaming multimedia files containing text, graphics, sound, video. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Advanced Stream Redirector (.asx) - Playlist files, also known as Windows Media metafiles, are text files with file stream information. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Audio CD protocol.

Video files Audio Video Interleave. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Batch files.

Bitmap Picture files. The default program is Windows Photo Viewer.

Archives "Cabinet".

Compiled HTML help files.

Windows command line script files.

MS-DOS applications.

Source program code written in the C++ programming language. Can be opened in a text editor.

Animated Windows cursor files. Used by the operating system to display the mouse pointer.

Data files can contain data in text or binary format. Typically used only by the programs that created them. DAT text files can be opened in Windows Notepad or another text editor.

Directory Protocol Associations.

Dynamic Link Library. Used by one or more programs.

Disk Protocol Associations.

Recordings of TV programs. The default program is Windows Media Center.

Executable application files.

Folder protocol associations.

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) graphic files. The default program is Internet Explorer.

Gzip archive. By default, these files in Windows 7 do not have associated programs.

HTML files (web documents). The default program is Internet Explorer.

Windows icon files. The default program is Windows Photo Viewer.

CD or DVD image file.

Installation program information files. The default program is Windows Notepad.

Initialization and configuration files. Typically contain ASCII text data.

CD or DVD image file.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts) image files. The default program is Windows Photo Viewer.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image files. The default program is Windows Photo Viewer.

JPG (Joint Photographic Group) image files. The default program is Windows Photo Viewer.

Script files. Contain program code written in JavaScript. The default program is wscript.exe (Microsoft Windows Based Script Host).

Windows 7 library folder.

Windows shortcut files.

Matroska multimedia containers. Video format similar to AVI. By default, Windows 7 does not designate a program to open this type of file.

High-definition Blu-ray video file format BDAV. Video files saved in this format are saved on Blu-ray discs. The Blu-ray BDAV video format is based on MPEG-2 and supports 720p and 1080i formats.

MP3 playlists. Originally used by Winamp, but now supported by many other media players. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Movie file. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Sound file in MP3 format. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Movie file in MPEG-4 format. The default program is Windows Media Player.

MPEG audio file. The default program is Windows Media Player.

MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) video file. The default program is Windows Media Player.

MPEG video file. The default program is Windows Media Player.

Mirosoft Common Console Document Files.

Microsoft Windows Installer Package.

Microsoft Windows Installer patch file.

Open Type Font file. The default program is Windows Font Viewer.

Portable Document Format (PDF) - Adobe text and graphic files. By default, Windows 7 does not install a program to read files of this type. Using this tweak will remove all programs associated with PDF files. To read PDF files in Windows 7, you need to install a third-party program - for example, Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader.

Portable Network Graphics files. PNG supports more than 16 million colors, compresses images without losing quality, supports color indexing, transparency, true color and many other features. Currently widely used on the Internet.

Adobe graphics file created by Adobe Photoshop.

Windows Registry Files. The default program is Registry Editor.
Note: If files of this type do not open automatically in Registry Editor, you must first make Registry Editor (%WinDir%\regedit.exe) the default program for opening files of this type.

File associations are the operating system's name for the relationship between a file type and the application responsible for opening it.

So, for example, in the standard configuration of Windows 7, for opening a text file *.txt answers Notebook, for opening *.mp3 — Windows Media Player, behind *.jpg — Fax and Image Viewer, and so on…

But sometimes, for reasons of poor security, childhood, or just pranks, these connections are broken or lost. And the “orgy” begins. Music can be opened in Notepad, txt tries to “play out” in the video player, etc.

It's good if the problem is only with files txt, mp3, or jpg. Then it is not difficult to repair the connection. But if the connection is broken *.exe files or shortcut link *.lnk, then chaos really begins on the computer.

As soon as the desktop background appears, all programs registered in startup try to launch through some other programs. There is no other way to call it horror.

There are several solutions to this problem, all of them different. We will consider some briefly, some in more detail.

1. Restoring the previous system state

The easiest way to restore connections is to roll back the system to the moment when everything was working. This method is the most preferable, since there is no risk of making things even worse than they already are. But! This method will not work if the file association is broken *.exe - You will simply open something else instead of the recovery program. But if with connections exe And lnk everything is ok - you can try the following:

Click the button that opens the menu Start. Enter the command in the search bar:

rstrui.exe

The desired object will appear in the results window. Run it as Administrator as it shown on the picture:

The System Restore utility will launch. Click the button <Далее> .

In the list of recovery points, select the date at which file associations were in order. Don't forget to check the box as shown in the picture to see all possible options. Click again <Далее> .

The idea for writing this article was the comment

Hello, I have a problem with extensions. When I try, for example, to open a .torrent file, for some reason it tells me what program to open with, I select utorrent, check the default box, but as a result, utorrent does not open, for “torrent” files there is no default program. A similar problem with .rar files.

And then I realized that I don’t know a damn thing about file associations in Windows, except to right-click on a file and select Open with... Here I will outline the methods that I will use myself if I encounter a similar situation

Association- this is the mapping of files of a certain type to a program that will open them by default. The file type is determined by its extension. The extension is what comes after the dot in the file name. For example, the file PICT0275.JPG has the extension “.JPG”. Therefore, the file type is a drawing or image. I have images open using Windows Photo Viewer.

Sometimes associations go astray. This can happen either due to user actions (you opened the file with another program, establishing an association of this type of file with this program), or due to the action of viruses or due to some kind of system failure (after a blue screen, for example)

In any case, I would check the computer for viruses:

or stop by along the way Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs

Let's first use the first point - Setting default programs

If you want, for example, Google Chrome to open everything possible, you select it in the list of programs and click Set this program as default. In my case, Google Chrome only opens 9 file types out of 20 possible. If I click Use this program as default, it will open all 20.

from the table we download the registry amendment for the required extension. For example MP3

I got an error

and the restoration of the association with GIF files was successful

Need to try.

Restoring the association of REG files

The above method will not be able to restore REG file associations. To do this, you can do the following.

Open Registry Editor

File > Import…

Find the required file and open it. The information will be entered into the register

Click OK and everything should work.

You can also restore associations with REG files using the command line. Open it with administrator rights. Open the Start menu and type “Command Prompt” in the search field. On the command line, right-click and select Run as administrator

For a better understanding of the process of file associations in Windows 8, I highly recommend reading the article by Vadim Sterkin

Many unclear situations must be resolved.

Conclusion

For me, the situation with file associations in Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 has become a little clearer. How would I act if I had problems with torrent files and RAR files. Naturally, I would immediately check for viruses and restore system files. I would uninstall programs that use these types of files (in my case it is μTorrent and WinRAR). Then I would delete all the information in the registry

I did the same with the sections for RAR files. I would delete them in the same places.

If it didn't help, I would think about reinstalling the system.