Cannot associate txt files with notepad

[mysts]

I had txt files associated with notepad and now its gone. I can't associate anything with notepad. Notepad can still be used by clicking on it and it saves files ok, but all association with it has disappeared. I replaced notepad with another copy but no good. How do I get the ability to associate back. I am using winxp.

[flaninacupboard]

find a text file. single left click it. hold down shift then right click it, then choose, open with. find notepad on the list and check the box that says "always open files of this type with this program"

Job done.

[housepig]

I'll have to try that as well - my Notepad association went straight to hell a couple of months ago.

but I also copy Notepad.exe into the "Send To" directory, so I just right click -> Send To -> Notepad, which isn't that much more work...

[makntraks]

In Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, File Types... scroll down to the TXT extension and change it there.....

makntraks

[mysts]

Thanks guys for all the suggestions, however none of them worked. I can associate txt files with wordpad and it's ok but this is really a puzzler.
Why just txt files only? My undying gratitude to anyone that can solve this.

[BJ_M]

rename wordpad.exe to wordpad.exe.old or name it notepad.exe

copy notepad.exe into wordpad directory (if it isnt there already) and rename notepad.exe to wordpad.exe


all working now


otherwise you will have to rut around in the registry and you can fix it there ..

[makntraks]

In Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, File Types... scroll down to the TXT extension and change it there.....

makntraks

I guarantee that what I said above will work... I even tried the method by unassociating my TXT extension from Notepad , then reassociated it with Notepad...
Me thinks you just ain't got it all together........

makntraks

p.s I'd stay away from that whole rename Wordpad reply.....totally whacked...

[BJ_M]

In Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, File Types... scroll down to the TXT extension and change it there.....

makntraks

I guarantee that what I said above will work... I even tried the method by unassociating my TXT extension from Notepad , then reassociated it with Notepad...
Me thinks you just ain't got it all together........

makntraks

p.s I'd stay away from that whole rename Wordpad reply.....totally whacked...

makntraks -- you dont know what you are talking about -- your method may work some of the time, but not always, and the method i gave will work , as it is used by many sys-admins ....
sometimes file types become unlinked - more than standard issues re-association.

so dont be so hasty, if you dont know something, to spew out nonsense ..

[makntraks]

In Explorer, Tools, Folder Options, File Types... scroll down to the TXT extension and change it there.....

makntraks

I guarantee that what I said above will work... I even tried the method by unassociating my TXT extension from Notepad , then reassociated it with Notepad...
Me thinks you just ain't got it all together........

makntraks

p.s I'd stay away from that whole rename Wordpad reply.....totally whacked...

mandrake -- you dont know what you are talking about -- your method may work some of the time, but not always, and the method i gave will work , as it is used by many sys-admins ....
sometimes file types become unlinked - more than standard issues re-association.

so dont be so hasty, if you dont know something, to spew out nonsense ..

Who the hell is Mandrake??
With your quoted drivel YOU should not be so hasty in your response....
I had a whole speel typed here but figured I'd just get another warning Get your facts together before you spew your idiotic response... rename the program... good god...

makntraks

[BJ_M]

i have my facts straight ... in fact its such a common method, its posted all over the net if you would have cared to check ..

see here:

http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:AE-gB2U0Nv4J:www.notetab.com/faq.php+rename+notepa...ociation&hl=en

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum21/249.htm

http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=64655

it's on the MS website also as a fix ..

and another couple 100 hits in google ..

Results 11 - 20 of about 15,800 for rename notepad file association. (0.56 seconds)

[stiltman]

The sure way of doing it

open explorer
go to tools
go to folder options
click on file types tab
scroll down to "TXT"
click on it to highlight it
click on the "advanced" button
click on the word "open" to highlight it
click the "edit" button
under action it will say "open"
under the aplication line type this
C:\WINNT\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

do the same thing for "Print" but type
C:\WINNT\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE /p %1

do the same for "printto" but type
C:\WINNT\system32\notepad.exe /pt "%1" "%2" "%3" "%4"

[makntraks]

i have my facts straight ... in fact its such a common method, its posted all over the net if you would have cared to check ..

see here:

http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:AE-gB2U0Nv4J:www.notetab.com/faq.php+rename+notepa...ociation&hl=en

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum21/249.htm

http://discuss.fogcreek.com/joelonsoftware/default.asp?cmd=show&ixPost=64655

it's on the MS website also as a fix ..

and another couple 100 hits in google ..

Results 11 - 20 of about 15,800 for rename notepad file association. (0.56 seconds)

I never said your response was not correct... from my take on mysts original question and his follow up, it appears that he WANTS Notepad, not Wordpad or any other editor...
Most of the links in your message had to do with REPLACING Notepad which I don't think mysts wants...
Also as I see I'm a few minutes late as someone posted pretty much what I originally did only with more details than I...

So... 2 came up with a solution to your 1 solution....
Nah, nah......

Let it die...
Peace..
makntraks

[stiltman]

Copy and paste this into a text file.
Change the extension from txt to reg
right click on it and select merge


------------copy below------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\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,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00 ,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\
65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c ,00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,35,\
00,32,00,00,00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell]
"FriendlyCache"="Notepad"
"FriendlyCacheCTime"=hex:00,30,ad,c9,09,f7,bf, 01

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\edit]
@="&Edit"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\edit\command]
@="C:\\WINNT\\notepad.exe %1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\open]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\open\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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\print]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\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

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\printto]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\n otepad.exe\shell\printto\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,00,6e,00,6f,00,\
74,00,65,00,70,00,61,00,64,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65 ,00,20,00,2f,00,70,00,74,\
00,20,00,22,00,25,00,31,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00 ,32,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,\
25,00,33,00,22,00,20,00,22,00,25,00,34,00,22,00,00 ,00

---------------stop copy above-----------

[mysts]

I now know why none of your suggestions worked. I did a search for notepad.exe on another computer and found that notepad.exe exists in two places. It exists in Windows root and also system32. My problem was because it was not in my system32 folder. I simply copied notepad.exe from the Windows folder into the system32 folder and voila everything works fine. I do appreciate all of you trying. thanks
I wonder why it disappeared from the windows32 folder. Hmmm!!!

[BJ_M]

somewhat offtopic , but UltraEDIT 32 is a great replacement for notepad and wordpad and winhex editor