'open with' not sticking

badcrc · 28 Dec 2015

If I set a movie to open with WMP (or VLC) using

open with - choose another app - always use this app to open .mp4 files

it sticks while my pc is on, but next day when I click an mp4, Films + TV opens (ditto for mpg, mkv etc). Same happens with images. I used a reg file from this forum to enable Photo Viewer and set that as default, but when I click a jpg it uses a different app.

Is this a bug or a feature ? Could CCleaner be deleting my 'open with' settings ?

davidhk · 28 Dec 2015

Try the old-fashioned way.................

type control panel into the search box > Enter > top right, click View by and select small > select Default Programs > select Associate a file type or protocol...... >wait for loading > left side, scroll down to mp4, click it > does it say WMP or VLC ?
if not, top right click Change program > find WMP or VLC > click it > click OK.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...dows-10-a.html

See if the setting will stick this time.

badcrc · 28 Dec 2015

Well, I followed 'the old fashioned way' and changed all relevant associations. After a restart most, but not all, default programs had stuck. I opened Thunderbird to get the forum link to reply 'solved' and my desktop icons started flashing - all associations had turned back to Microsoft default.

When it comes to this Windows 10 upgrade, I guess there's no such thing as a free lunch - it's their way or the highway.

Thanks for reply.

davidhk · 28 Dec 2015

Weird.
I have a Win 10 Home 10586.36 and a Win 10 Pro Insider Preview 11082.
I have no problem setting open with default programs on both machines.

Sorry. I have no idea what's wrong with your machine.

davidhk · 28 Dec 2015

Out of desperation......................
How about NOT using T-bird ?

pyramid10 · 28 Dec 2015

@badcrc

Just wondering ... in the dialog box for changing association, do you click 'Ok' or 'Apply'? The latter will engage the OS and change all files of that extension; thumbnails will reflect the change.

dalchina · 29 Dec 2015

badcrc said:

Well, I followed 'the old fashioned way' and changed all relevant associations. After a restart most, but not all, default programs had stuck. I opened Thunderbird to get the forum link to reply 'solved' and my desktop icons started flashing - all associations had turned back to Microsoft default.

When it comes to this Windows 10 upgrade, I guess there's no such thing as a free lunch - it's their way or the highway.

Thanks for reply.

Noted your ref. to icons flashing and using a reg file.
I had this when a registry key related to jpg gained an extra value- don't know why.
If I had a jpg file visible in explorer or on the desktop, the icons flashed.
Here are my notes, and a reference to the problem.

"Fixed jpg - unable to change default association.
Was set to Photos- opening an explorer window revealing a jpg or with a jpg on the desktop led to desktop and taskbar icons flashing.

Solution: delete
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.jpg\UserChoice]
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/fix-un...sion-windows-7

Noted taskbar icons flashing with settings (default apps) open.
Reset MS defaults.
Flashing stopped
Jpg UserChoice ok- set to a modern app."

(You don't HAVE to reset to MS defaults, of course.. you could do sthg else there).

badcrc · 23 Jan 2016

I think I have found what was screwing with my file associations - I was using a very old version of WinZip (v12 from 2008). For some reason, opening WinZip made my desktop + taskbar icons flash and associations change back to default. Installing v20 x64 WinZip seems to have fixed things.

I know people are going to say 'impossible' etc, so I did a before and after Camtasia video - you can see the icons flash. Here on YouTube (unlisted) -

Old version WinZip causing problems in Windows 10 - YouTube