Problems with "File Association" in Windows 7 64-bit

Here is the full list of all the "File association" steps that I've seen proved useful before. There is no need to go beyond the step that solves the problem but all the "your computer" & Microsoft checks are fine to do in any case - they would not do any harm even if there was no fault.

On your computer

Control panel, Default programs, both Set your default programs and Associate a file type or protocol with a program

[IE check only] Internet explorer, Tools, Internet options, Programs - set Make default

Microsoft links [read the descriptions on the linked pages first]

Fix broken desktop shortcuts and common system maintenance tasks

Fixit When you run an .exe file on a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer, the file may start a different program

Diagnose and repair Windows File and Folder Problems automatically

Back to ones on your computer

Run both the Maintenance & Performance troubleshooters at Control panel, Troubleshooting.

Run the System File Checker *How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows Vista or on Windows 7* There is additional guidance on it in *sfc.exe /scannow*

and then, if necessary,

3rd party links [read the descriptions on the linked page first to make sure it matches your symptoms - only go this far if you have to]

Default File Type Associations - Restore - Windows 7 Forums

http://www.slipstick.com/problems/link_restrict.htm

Cannot open Folders or Drives "This file does not have a program associated..."

File Association Fixes for Windows 7

Best of luck.

didn't help:(

Thanks to earlier posts by Travis, among others, I figured out my own solution.

Zero thanks to Microsoft for this, and a brickbat for the lack of a response at all.

Check to see if your application is listed under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications

If it's there, it will be a key named for the primary executable (utorrent.exe, for example).

If it isn't there, which mine wasn't, you will have to create it. I recommend that you study the key structures for other applications in this section.

If you go postal on your registry, you will screw up your system. In that case you will have to wipe it and reinstall Windows. So don't do that.  But don't be terrified of editing the registry either. The worst you can do is mess it up, which is what's already wrong.

You'll need to create the subkeys that you see in other applications. Take a look at the entry for notepad.exe, and for some other non-Microsoft applications you've installed, to see how to set up the keys, values, pathnames and pass a parameter to your application. You'll need to create  Shell, Open and Command subkeys, and give a value to the default in Command.

When you've created this correctly, the application should now appear as one of the choices, (maybe even the only choice) when you attempt to associate an application with the filetype.

The defect continues to plague me with other filetypes, and now extends even to successfully-associated files.

On my system, Default Programs dutifully shows that .txt files are Notepad++ documents, associated with the Notepad++ editor, as they should be. (Notepad++'s installation did this: I still can't. If I try, Windows discards my choice.)

But a .txt file shows a blank icon, and when I double-click on a .txt file, Windows tells me there's no application associated with this filetype, and I should establish one in Default Programs.

It's hard to understand how so elemental a fault escaped testing -- and it's harder to understand why there's no response from Microsoft on this issue.

Clearly, the Win7/64 file association mechanism is badly broken and urgently needs attention.

Since it isn't getting any, can anyone tell me how to hack the registry to get a file association successfully established, or better yet, to populate the list of eligible programs listed in Default Programs, to include my choices instead of Microsoft's?