# RESOLVED: Vista File Associations Broken



## Mateo89 (Jun 3, 2007)

Recently I installed dTools to mount an image but it gave me problems so I deleted it. After I rebooted to finish my installation all of my .exe file icons are blank. They appear as a white piece of paper with nothing on it and everytime I double-click to open, no matter what application it is, it wants me to find a program to open it with.

ex.

BF2142 icon blank. double click. vista open-with window opens and asks me to find a program to open it with.

-On another forums I was told my file associations were broken and to copy some text into notepad and save as ex.reg. Except when I did this I recieved the error Cannot import C:\Users\Myname\Desktop\exe.reg: Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes.


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

*Re: Vista File Associations Broken*

Hello,
Go to the Control Panel and select Default Programs. Then select associate a file type .... You should be able to change back the exe file association.
You could also do a System Restore before you loaded dTools.


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## Mateo89 (Jun 3, 2007)

*Re: Vista File Associations Broken*

I can't open system restore because when I click it it wants me to find what program to open it with, its like this for every program.

Also under associate a file type there are many "Unknown File Type" ones but I dont know what to associate them with.

Here is a list of some of the broken .exe files

.sys, .scr, .rll, .pko, .pif, .ocx, .wmdb, .wsp, .xmp, .tpl

There are many more I just don't know if they help solve the problem

any ideas?


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

*Re: Vista File Associations Broken*

You can use your Vista install DVD to repair your system. It will let you do a system restore. Just boot to the DVD and select repair. Follow the instructions to get to the option that allows you to select a restore point.


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## Mateo89 (Jun 3, 2007)

*Re: Vista File Associations Broken*

thx for help, i figured it out here

http://jtbworld.blogspot.com/2007/03/have-you-lost-your-exe-file-extension.html

apparently it is a vista only problem :/


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## nickster_uk (Feb 7, 2005)

*Re: Vista File Associations Broken*

Just for reference, the following page has a number of file association fixes on:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/

Makes a good bookmark as it could be handy :smile:

Glad you got your problem resolved Mateo89, come back any time you need a a hand.


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