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

Anonymous
2009-11-04T02:38:45+00:00

Although I am able to go through the "regular" process to associate a program with an extension it doesn't work.  After going through the browse process and selecting the program it brings me back to the "open with" window.  The program I've selected does not appear in the "open with" window and it appears that it is simply ignoring me.

I've also tried the "Default Programs" route but wind up at the same "open with" window that still ignores me.

Suggestions?


[EDIT]

  1. I've realized that this is probably not the proper forum for this question so feel free to ignore!
  2. I've also realized that this may be an issue with associating extensions with non-64-bit programs and appears to be a non-issue if trying to associate with a 64-bit program... go figure.
Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2009-11-22T16:57:44+00:00

After playing around a lil I think I've figured it out.. [for me at least..]

The program that you're pointing to isn't registered correctly.

In regedit: Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applicationsand find your .exe name.

Navigate under its name to shell>open>command. In the Default change its location to the actual location of the executable, hit okay and then try and reassociate the file type as you normally would.

Let me know if that doesn't seem to work.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-10-25T22:09:02+00:00

    After playing around a lil I think I've figured it out.. [for me at least..]

    The program that you're pointing to isn't registered correctly.

    In regedit: Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applicationsand find your .exe name.

    Navigate under its name to shell>open>command. In theDefaultchange its location to the actual location of the executable, hitokayand then try and reassociate the file type as you normally would.

    Let me know if that doesn't seem to work.

    This didn't work me. The entry "command" was full of weird characters like it was corrupted and I set it to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\EXCEL.EXE. Tried quotes, no quotes, etc...

    I have Excel 2003 and Office 2007 because I have an Excel application built with 2003 that in 2007 simply doesn't work. Errors in macros, charts all messed up...

    When I go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Associations, I browse to Excel 2003 file and click open, it just ignores it and goes to the recommend program that is Excel 2007. It seems that because the filename is the same it doesn't let me change from 2007 to 2003.

    This started happenning today after I installed Windows Security Essentials that during the installation process i told it not to install windows updates when updating WSE but it did it anyway. It installed a bunch updates for applicattions that I don't even have like all Office 2003 applications other than Excel. I would just uninstall all the updates of today but with about 25 updates how will I know which one f*-up everything to prevent it from being installed in future updates?

    Honestly, I've been working with windows since the first version and I can't remember a new version with so much stuff messed up and so many steps back from the previous version (in my case XP64 since fortunately I skipped Vista) like Windows 7. I've had to find a replacement for windows search that is a complete disaster in usability and bugs, I had to find a tweaker for the taskbar to stop it from grouping windows by application, I had to figure out why I see files in a folder in an Open/Save Dialog that I don't see in Windows Explorer (I disabled UAC once and for all when I found out that on top of being responsible for a few program installations crashes already it was responsible for this also).... It's been 6 months and I'm still upgrading from XP! A new record.

    I'm going to uninstall Excel 2007 now.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-10-24T15:10:44+00:00

    You are right, many thanks.

    Now I will try to find a bypass inside of my installation process.


    Config: Acer: Aspire X3200, AMD Phenom 9550 ( 32-bit Quad core ), 4 Gb RAM, MB: Acer WMCP78M, Chipset: Nvidia; GeForce 9400 (GF8200 + GF 9200) MCP78PV

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-10-19T17:43:44+00:00

    Thank you very much xandragnis.....  This solved my problem perfectly. 

    To help with other people trying to solve this problem by searching the web, here are the phrases that that I searched for (in Google) that took me to other pages before found this page (with the solution);

    microsoft word not on programs list windows 7

    word not showing up on programs list windows 7

    This is what got me here:

    microsoft word not on programs list windows 7 "open with"

    Hopefully this will help lead someone else here with the same problem! ; )

    Thanks again!

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-10-17T06:47:07+00:00

    Jennifer,

    Sorry I do not have a solution. I have the same problem that started with the last round of updates a few days ago. I noticed that the "Other Programs" listing is pretty thin, and containing no-way near the programs on the computer.

    When I double click on an Excel file, Windows uses Excel 2007, and locks up (freezes) if the file contains macros. Prior to the updates, Windows used Excel 2010 with no problem. I have multiple Office versions (2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010) installed for program development and testing.

    Why is it always a user's problem when updates go-a-stray especially when an update does not work correctly with their own products?

    Robert J Bayha

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