File Associations Bug - Please Help!

I have XP Home, SP2. I am not a computer expert but
consider myself an advanced user. There is a problem that
I can't fix, though.

It has to do with what programs are associated with what
filetypes. file.doc opens with Word and file.mpg opens
with Windows Media Player, etc. If you have an unknown
file type, file.spq, for example, you can choose which
program to open it with, and there is a check box that
will allow you to always associate that filetype with that
program.

Anyway, my problem is that, since I updated to Service
Pack 2, Windows has somehow managed to disassociate
Notepad.exe from text, .txt files. So, now when I click on
file.txt, it asks me what program I want to open it with.
I get a list of some of the programs on my computer, but
not nearly all of them. Notepad isn't even listed there,
all I see is WordPad. So I click "Browse..." and manually
find Notepad.exe in the Windows directory, then hit okay.

Normally, when I had earlier versions of Windows, whatever
program I chose would be added to the list I mentioned
before. Now, the program is NOT added. After I find
Notepad.exe, I click okay and nothing happens. I just
return to the list and notepad is nowhere to be found.
WordPad is still hilighted. So I cannot associate text
files with notepad, no matter what I do. I have to create
a short cut to notepad in every directory that contains a
text file I want to open, and drag and drop the text file
into the shortcut. I found a work-around by adding a
shortcut to notepad in my SendTo folder, but surely there
must be a better way! I want to just doubleclick on
file.txt and have it open with notepad. Is that really too
much to ask?

It isn't just text files either. Many other filetypes have
somehow become disassociated with their programs, and I
can't seem to add any new programs to that magical list.
Is my list full? I have 27 programs in it. That seems like
a very arbitrary number to pick if there were a limit, and
much too small.

I remember having the problem once before I updated to
SP2, so I don't think that's the cause. But I do know SP2
is responsible for screwing up the file associations.

So, if anyone has a quick registry fix for this, for
example, if this program list is stored in a certain key
and I can just manually add to it, that would be great.
Any information you can give me would really help me out.
If you have a definite answer, you can reply here, but I'd
appreciate it if you also emailed me at
if that's possible.

Thanks!

Open With Notepad for Files With No Extension (Line 25)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Troubleshooting Open With in XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_o.htm#openwith

File Association Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

--
All the Best,
Kelly

Microsoft-MVP Windows® XP

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com


"Cody-Z" wrote in message
...
I have XP Home, SP2. I am not a computer expert but
consider myself an advanced user. There is a problem that
I can't fix, though.

It has to do with what programs are associated with what
filetypes. file.doc opens with Word and file.mpg opens
with Windows Media Player, etc. If you have an unknown
file type, file.spq, for example, you can choose which
program to open it with, and there is a check box that
will allow you to always associate that filetype with that
program.

Anyway, my problem is that, since I updated to Service
Pack 2, Windows has somehow managed to disassociate
Notepad.exe from text, .txt files. So, now when I click on
file.txt, it asks me what program I want to open it with.
I get a list of some of the programs on my computer, but
not nearly all of them. Notepad isn't even listed there,
all I see is WordPad. So I click "Browse..." and manually
find Notepad.exe in the Windows directory, then hit okay.

Normally, when I had earlier versions of Windows, whatever
program I chose would be added to the list I mentioned
before. Now, the program is NOT added. After I find
Notepad.exe, I click okay and nothing happens. I just
return to the list and notepad is nowhere to be found.
WordPad is still hilighted. So I cannot associate text
files with notepad, no matter what I do. I have to create
a short cut to notepad in every directory that contains a
text file I want to open, and drag and drop the text file
into the shortcut. I found a work-around by adding a
shortcut to notepad in my SendTo folder, but surely there
must be a better way! I want to just doubleclick on
file.txt and have it open with notepad. Is that really too
much to ask?

It isn't just text files either. Many other filetypes have
somehow become disassociated with their programs, and I
can't seem to add any new programs to that magical list.
Is my list full? I have 27 programs in it. That seems like
a very arbitrary number to pick if there were a limit, and
much too small.

I remember having the problem once before I updated to
SP2, so I don't think that's the cause. But I do know SP2
is responsible for screwing up the file associations.

So, if anyone has a quick registry fix for this, for
example, if this program list is stored in a certain key
and I can just manually add to it, that would be great.
Any information you can give me would really help me out.
If you have a definite answer, you can reply here, but I'd
appreciate it if you also emailed me at
if that's possible.

Thanks!

I search for a a few minutes trying to find this answer!
I searched newsgroups and bang, first result!
https://web.archive.org/web/20050207.../xp_tweaks.htm


I modded it for notepad++
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\open]
@="Open With Notepad++"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\open\command]
@="C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "%1"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.]
"Application"="Notepad++"



On Wednesday, September 15, 2004 at 2:04:26 PM UTC+10, Kelly wrote:
Open With Notepad for Files With No Extension (Line 25)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
Troubleshooting Open With in XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_o.htm#openwith
File Association Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm
--
All the Best,
Kelly
Microsoft-MVP Windows® XP
Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

"Cody-Z" wrote in message
...
I have XP Home, SP2. I am not a computer expert but
consider myself an advanced user. There is a problem that
I can't fix, though.

It has to do with what programs are associated with what
filetypes. file.doc opens with Word and file.mpg opens
with Windows Media Player, etc. If you have an unknown
file type, file.spq, for example, you can choose which
program to open it with, and there is a check box that
will allow you to always associate that filetype with that
program.

Anyway, my problem is that, since I updated to Service
Pack 2, Windows has somehow managed to disassociate
Notepad.exe from text, .txt files. So, now when I click on
file.txt, it asks me what program I want to open it with.
I get a list of some of the programs on my computer, but
not nearly all of them. Notepad isn't even listed there,
all I see is WordPad. So I click "Browse..." and manually
find Notepad.exe in the Windows directory, then hit okay.

Normally, when I had earlier versions of Windows, whatever
program I chose would be added to the list I mentioned
before. Now, the program is NOT added. After I find
Notepad.exe, I click okay and nothing happens. I just
return to the list and notepad is nowhere to be found.
WordPad is still hilighted. So I cannot associate text
files with notepad, no matter what I do. I have to create
a short cut to notepad in every directory that contains a
text file I want to open, and drag and drop the text file
into the shortcut. I found a work-around by adding a
shortcut to notepad in my SendTo folder, but surely there
must be a better way! I want to just doubleclick on
file.txt and have it open with notepad. Is that really too
much to ask?

It isn't just text files either. Many other filetypes have
somehow become disassociated with their programs, and I
can't seem to add any new programs to that magical list.
Is my list full? I have 27 programs in it. That seems like
a very arbitrary number to pick if there were a limit, and
much too small.

I remember having the problem once before I updated to
SP2, so I don't think that's the cause. But I do know SP2
is responsible for screwing up the file associations.

So, if anyone has a quick registry fix for this, for
example, if this program list is stored in a certain key
and I can just manually add to it, that would be great.
Any information you can give me would really help me out.
If you have a definite answer, you can reply here, but I'd
appreciate it if you also emailed me at
if that's possible.

Thanks!

On Sun, 18 Apr 2021 18:58:35 -0700 (PDT), Mike. mgarcia_org wrote:
I search for a a few minutes trying to find this answer!

No, you took 16 years to give the answer.

On 4/19/2021 8:29 AM, between "JJ":
On Sun, 18 Apr 2021 18:58:35 -0700 (PDT), Mike. mgarcia_org wrote:
I search for a a few minutes trying to find this answer!

No, you took 16 years to give the answer.

That was so funny! ROTFL