Files won't open with their intended application

I have a problem in that whenever I try to open a file, it tries to open with a different software application then it was made/saved in. For example, all the icons on my desktop now display the Microsoft Excel logo and try to open with Excel when I click on them. If I right click and try to open a Word file with Word and I check the box to convert all files like that to open with Word, then all my desktop icons become Word files. They all end in "Ink".

I have Spybot, Trend Micro's Internet Security and Lavasoft's Ad-Aware Professional SE installed and have run them repeatedly. I have gone into safe mode and tried a system to restore to prior dates to no avail. Neither Microsoft SP-2 Tech Support, IBM [my computer mfr], Trend Micro nor Lavasoft have been able to help. Lavasoft's forum help said I have had my registry hijacked. See this thread for details: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showtopic=50539.

Following that, I ran all of the scans suggested on this website before making a post. They include: A Squared 2; About Buster; Ad-Aware; AdSpy; Avast; CC Cleaner; CW Shredder; HS Remove; Kill 2 Me;McAfee; Process Explorer; RAV; Spy Blaster; Spybot; and Trojan Scan. Some found some infections that were, I expect, removed. I saved logs on those that would let me do so.

Following a reboot, I still have the problem. My test has been to go to My Computer>select a Word file>and save it to desktop as a shortcut. It is converted to an Excel file with "Ink" on the end.

Is there a fix to this problem?

 

bump,
this is a file association problem that can be fixed relatively easily. I don't think it's a spyware issue.

if you're using XP then this might help
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4248

 

Thanks for your help!

I downloaded the application and unzipped it, but I can't figure out how to use it. I can't find the "Ink" reference that is attached to my files as a choice under any of the items in the left column.

Can you further help me?

 

fix .lnks http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q172053/

 

Thanks for your help!

This link and procedure is for Windows NT. I am running Windows XP Professional. The choices I have from the first entry in the procedure you suggest onward do not work the same in XP. Some appear similar, but I don't want to take a chance on messing it up. Do you have an XP link?

 

Here are a few XP fixes...
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

 

Dear Foogoo,

I downloaded Doug Knox's LNK file, opened it and saved it in a notepad file. Now, do I cut and paste from that into my "regedit" file under the "lnk." section?

 

change the extension on the notepad file from TXT to REG and double click it.

 

When I double click it, a dialogue box comesup asking me what to open it with. Search the web or find from a list? When I click to serach the web nothing happens. When I look at the list, I find nothing that I think would open it.

I must be terribly thick-headed about this...sorry.

 

damn, means your REG extension is shot too..
get the REG file association fix that is listed in the link foogoo posted and run the batch file in that. HOPEFULLY batch files work.

 

Did as you said. Same problem as in my last post.

 

I am guessing regedit will not run either? *if* it does you can import the .reg file. If not ..got a restore point????

 

Thanks for sticking with me on this problem...

No, I can run "regedit" and it opens up a box with five files with a + next to each and each file begins with "HKEY_xxx". I have tried various restore points before and none worked.

When I open the txt file of Doug Knox's, this is what I see. What do I do now?
=============================
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.reg]
@="regfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.reg\PersistentHandler]
@="{5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile]
@="Registration Entries"
"EditFlags"=dword:00100000

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\
2c,00,31,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,4e,00,4f,00,\
54,00,45,00,50,00,41,00,44,00,2e,00,45,00,58,00,45,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,00,\
00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open]
@="Mer&ge"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command]
@="regedit.exe \"%1\""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print\command]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,4e,00,4f,00,\
54,00,45,00,50,00,41,00,44,00,2e,00,45,00,58,00,45,00,20,00,2f,00,70,00,20,\
00,25,00,31,00,00,00

 

like stated before.. leave the file as a *.REG file.
Open regedit > File > IMPORT - browse to *.reg file and select it...
Once the reg association is fixed then double clicking on a .REG file will promt you for permission to add this item to your registry.
So then you can double click the exe fix and whatever else you need....

 

OK. I did as you instructed and it fixed the problem, temporarily. Then I ran Spybot, AntiVir Guard and Ad-Aware because the machine was operating veerrryyy slowly. Once done with that, the problem is back. Now, when I go to Start>Run and enter regedit, I get the pop-up box asking me to select a program to open the file with. What do you think is going on? What should I do next?

 

use this thread to bump your thread again. Don't post another thread for the same problem.

What happens if you go to start-->run--type REGEDT32 hit enter
does it open?

 

Thanks for your advice.

When I go to Start>Run and enter REGEDT32 I get the pop-up box asking me to select a program to open the file with--web or list.

What do you think is going on? What should I do next?

 

Bump.