Member Avatar for tatyana.monich

Wordpad taking over all my laptop icons. When you click on any icon it opens wordpad window with text. I tried to go to default options and change "IE" icon with Internet explorer, but it just made all of the icons look like IE. Still none of the icons work. Please help.

  • 3 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 265 Views
  • 5 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Rajneshwar

Dani AI

Generated

This looks like a file‑association problem rather than a graphic bug: every shortcut (.lnk) or executable association has been reassigned (which explains why every icon opens WordPad and why changing one “default” made all icons look the same). was right to point at associations and confirmed the Control Panel fix didn’t help; follow-up steps below are safer and deeper than the Default Programs UI. (learn.microsoft.com)

Try these non‑destructive checks first: run a full offline malware scan (malware commonly hijacks shortcuts), boot to Safe Mode and see whether the problem persists, and run System File Checker from an elevated command prompt (sfc /scannow). Also create a temporary new administrator user to see if the issue is profile‑specific (as suggested). If the problem is caused by malware, remove the infection before repairing associations. (m.php.cn)

If the issue is still present, reset the shortcut/exe associations from an elevated Command Prompt (run Command Prompt as Administrator) — these two commands often restore normal shortcut behavior:

assoc .lnk=lnkfile
ftype lnkfile="%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe" "shell32.dll,ShellExec_RunDLL" "%1" %*

If executables themselves won’t launch, also reset the exe association:

assoc .exe=exefile
ftype exefile="%1" %*

Reboot after running them. These commands simply restore the system defaults for .lnk/.exe handlers. (m.php.cn)

If the command fixes fail or you cannot run tools because associations are badly broken, restore from a System Restore point or import a trusted registry (.reg) fix made for Windows 7 (backup the registry first). Tools and vetted .reg fixes that restore the .lnk/.exe defaults exist, but only use files from reputable sources and create a restore point before merging. If unsure, a Windows “Repair” (from installation media) will repair system associations without removing personal files. (tweaking.com)

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for JorgeM

You need to associate the corret file type with the correct application. To get to the File Type Association applet is slightly different between XP/7, but the process to associate is essentially the same.

Member Avatar for tatyana.monich

File Type Association applet? How do I do that?

Member Avatar for JorgeM

What operating system are you running?

Member Avatar for JorgeM

You can control which executables start depending on which shortcuts (icons) are clicked.

Go to Control Panel --> All Control Panel Items--> Default Programs --> Associate a File Type or Protocol with a Program.

Member Avatar for tatyana.monich

I did that, doesn't make any difference.

Member Avatar for Rajneshwar

Try creating the new profile if you have already tried JorgeM's message.
Also check for virus, not only thru scanners but via command prompt

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.