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03 Feb 08 - 05:11 PM (#2252676) Subject: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: michaelr I was trying to import my old bookmarks to my new computer via an .ubx file created by a program called URLBase. Apparently XP has a problem recognizing the file, because it opened the window "Select the program you want to open this file with". I inadvertently checked the box that says "Always use this program to open this kind of file" while one of my photo programs was selected. Of course, this program does not open that kind of file. Now I'm stuck and I need to know how to reverse that action. Any help is appreciated. Cheers, Michael |
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03 Feb 08 - 05:43 PM (#2252702) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Don Firth Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore. This will give you a list of possible "Restore" points. Choose a date/time before you did whatever you did to goof up your computer, click on that, and hope for the best. I have a program from Symantec (Norton SystemWorks) called "GoBack" that does essentially the same thing as Windows' "System Restore" that seems a whole lot more thorough, but it's so thorough that it will delete anything I have done after the date/time I choose, including any new documents I've created or anything I've downloaded. Very effective. I regard it as the "nuclear option." But a couple of times when I've really managed to bugger my computer, it has fixed it. Whew!! I hope this helps. Let me know if it does. But please don't sue me if it makes your computer start to smoke and shower you with sparks! Don Firth |
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03 Feb 08 - 06:10 PM (#2252726) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: TheSnail WAIT! Before you try the "nuclear option.", _ Make sure URLBase is installed on your new computer then - My Documents>Tools>Folder Options...>File Types>ubx>Change...>URLBase |
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03 Feb 08 - 06:16 PM (#2252732) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Mitch the Bass Michael, You can remove a file association using the ASSOC command from the XP command line. Click Start then Run. Type command in the box and click Open. You'll get a command line window. In the window, type ASSOC .ubx = then hit return. Type exit to close the command window. You can see all the capabilities of ASSOC at http://www.ss64.com/nt/assoc.html and all the XP commands at http://www.ss64.com/nt/ Mitch |
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03 Feb 08 - 07:08 PM (#2252766) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: michaelr Mitch -- hit return? My keyboard has no Return key. Do you mean Enter? |
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04 Feb 08 - 03:26 AM (#2252963) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Malcolm Douglas By far the easiest method for you is this: Find a .ubx file. Right click on it. In the dialog box that opens, select 'Open With'. In the subsidiary dialog box that opens, select 'Choose Program'. Select the program you want in the new 'Open With' dialog. Ensure that 'Always use...' is checked. Click 'OK'. This presupposes that you know what program you need to use, of course. |
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04 Feb 08 - 04:31 AM (#2252989) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Mitch the Bass Michael, The keyboard in front of me today has a left-pointing arrow with a short vertical tail on an inverted L-shaped key. Us old people who started with typewriters, teletypes, card punches etc still call it the (carriage) return key. Mitch |
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04 Feb 08 - 09:09 PM (#2253689) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: michaelr Mitch - all I get is an error message saying "Windows cannot find ASSOC". Snail and Malcolm - though I have URLBase on the computer, it's not showing up in the Program List. More help, please! Michael |
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04 Feb 08 - 11:24 PM (#2253770) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Bill D with this |
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04 Feb 08 - 11:52 PM (#2253777) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: NightWing The Snail's suggestion is still spot-on. Simply delete the association from the list instead of selecting another program to associate with. My Computer / Tools / Folder Options / File Types, locate and select the extension, and click the Delete button. ON-ON, NightWing |
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05 Feb 08 - 12:51 AM (#2253797) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: JohnInKansas michaelr It's not completely clear what you want to do, but it appears that you have a file type associated with the wrong program and want to change it so that the correct program is used to open the file. The alternate assumption is that you just want to delete the file type so that it doesn't automatically attempt to open with any program. WARNING: I am about to recommend something that hardly anyone ever does. DO NOT BE AFRAID. Click on the Start button. On the list that appears, click on HELP. (Don't lose your nerve at this point. The above is an unusual step, but it quite often works.) When the Help dialog appears, there should be a box where you can type in what you want help with. Type "Associate File" (without the quotes) in the box1. Then click the stubby little arrow beside the box to get a result. The result should appear with a "Suggested Topics" box open, and should say "Pick a task" with at least a couple of things listed. Click on "Associate a file with a program." Follow the instructions. If you see little "plus signs" you can click on them to expand an instruction section to get more details. The specific procedures needed can vary with the setup you have on your machine, so it probably is a lot simpler for you to read them from the Help file and choose the right ones, rather than to mess with lots of random suggestions from those of us who don't know what you have. 1 This is one search string that works for what you seem to want to do. A problem with Help is that you have to find a search string that Microsoft thinks is what you want to do, so a lot of "reasonable" terms may not produce the result you want in Help. If, as most here have assumed, you just want to delete a filetype from the list of associations, or if you want the shorter method of changing the program that opens rather than deleting the type: Start | Settings | Control Panel, double-click on Folder Options. Click the File Types tab. Find the file extension you want, and click the "Delete" button to remove it from the list. In the Folder Options section in Control Panel, if the filetype (extension) is shown, you can click "Change" and you'll get the option to "select a program from a list." If the program executable you want isn't on the list, but you're sure it is on your computer, after you get your computer's list you can click the Browse button there to look for it. Using the browse feature, you should be able to find any executable file on your computer. John |
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05 Feb 08 - 03:31 AM (#2253835) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Mitch the Bass Michael, It sounds as if you typed ASSOC in the "Run" box. You have to put "Command" without the quotes, in the run box. This will open a new window with a command line prompt something like C:\DOCUME~\Michael> Type ASSOC .uxb= at this point. The way described by snail also looks good. Mitch |
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05 Feb 08 - 12:04 PM (#2254130) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Bill D one more approach |
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05 Feb 08 - 07:44 PM (#2254586) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: michaelr Thanks to all! John's suggestion took care of my problem. Cheers, Michael |
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12 Aug 11 - 01:47 PM (#3206708) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: GUEST NightWing wins the prize. Best suggestion. |
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18 Jul 12 - 04:25 AM (#3378152) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: GUEST,GuestBK Both suggestions worked for me. I wanted to revert to default as I associated the txt files to Notepad++ program to bring it back I typed the following on the command line ASSOC .txt=notepad [Enter] The Other Option via "Folder Options" is point & click and has a lot more to offer as well. thanks for reading Baljit. |
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19 Jul 12 - 02:50 AM (#3378594) Subject: RE: Tech: How to disassociate a program in WinXP? From: Bonzo3legs If all fails - reinstall XP. |