This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Crea

Hi.... unfortunately RIGHT after I denied some Registry changes using Spybot S&D popups (didnt know what they were but obvously shouldve let them happen) I could no longer open ANY files or programs, and basically everything I tried to do except use the Control Panel or Internet Explorer so far has given me this one error "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel." Now I did search the problem online and it gave me a solution using Safe mode and command prompt and trying to grant admin full capabilities or something with merging a registry file I was able to download, but obviously I cant even open or run the file because of this problem..... Please help I don't want to have to reformat, I am running Windows Vista Ultimate and this is basically all the information regarding my problem....... thank you in advance --Mike

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

Okay that sounds right, but I uninstalled SpyBot hoping it would fix the problem and now I cant find the log... I also cant open the program due to the problem to disable TeaTimer... Is there anything I can do in Safe Mode to manually reset this with some type of registry fix there is a .dll file in the spybot folder left thats it though

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

by the way I can run SOME programs with Run as Administrator if the option is given but honestly can't run anything else at all except maybe word documents, internet explorer and powerpoint presentations for example

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

>> ..after I denied some Registry changes..
Do you happen to remember what those changes were related to?

Those are very strange symptoms. I've seen where a group of file types would lose associations - like image files, or document files, or video files for example. I've not yet seen it happen where all associations were lost.

Vista has System Restore - should get you back to a recent point in time.
See this page for good details, if you don't already know how to do it...
http://www.pro-networks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=571685

Good luck with it.

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

I cant be EXACT with you but ... they were "%/" or something real simple like that .. I remember there was % signs a few times and another symbol or two and maybe some numbers following but it was only a few characters and included a % every time and usually something like / also....... I denied it and I thought it was coming back so I did it again and then started checking the box to always deny the change but then the command would change by a character or so maybe 10 times until it stopped.. Also this was RIGHT after a stupid AOL Instant Messanger Update and that was the last change I had made and it was during the update that those changes were trying to occur..

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

I know how to use System Restore but I don't have a checkpoint before the problem happened...

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

Well, maybe it was just a "hiccup" in the system.
The system restore should get you going again.

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

>> I don't have a checkpoint before the problem happened

That's unfortunate. But maybe Vista created one on its own that is not too old. Then your decision would have to be about what new things were installed or old things removed since that restore point was done.

Good luck with it.

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

yeah :\ is there any way to get around this without reformatting

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

In my opinion, even an old restore point would be better than reformatting & reinstalling.

And I'm guessing you're not the first person to run into this issue, so a little research as to what others did to resolve the issue could be helpful.

 

Re: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action.

When you're booting up, keep pressing the F8 key, which should bring you to a choice of menus:
Select LAST GOOD CONFIGURATION (or words to that effect). That might be what you're looking for?