Jan112012

Why have all my files become Windows Media Player shortcuts?

paolo dizon asks:

When I open a file, it opens Windows Media Player. I don’t know what happened. My mother just clicked something on home group. Please help!



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3 Answers -

0 votes

Chris Hoffman

January 11, 2012

Your mother probably set Windows Media Player as the default program for some file extensions.

Right-click one of the files, point to “Open With” in the right-click menu and select “Choose Default Program.” You can make another program, instead of Windows Media Player, the default here. You’ll have to repeat this for each file extension you want to change back.

0 votes

Anonymous

January 11, 2012

you have file association problems.
you can try the following from winhelponline
http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/lnk_fix_w7.zip
http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/exe_fix_w7.zip

0 votes

FIDELIS

January 12, 2012

Hello, there is an easier way of doing this instead of fixing entries one by one.  I am assuming that you are using windows 7 because of homegroup. Check to see if Default programs option shows when you click start button.  If it does, click on it.  If it doesn’t try the following:  

– right click on start button
– select properties
– in start menu tab, click on customize
– find the default programs entry and make sure to mark box next to it
– click on ok, then apply and then ok

– click on start
– click on default programs
– click on set your default programs and wait for it to load
– click on windows media player
– click on choose defaults for this program at bottom of screen
– select the options you want this program to open by checking the box next to it.  If you see any entries that are not media files, such as word, pdf, etc., that are not multimedia files, uncheck them.
– Once you have selected the defaults for it, click on save
– try the new settings

Let me know how it goes.

Daniel

Hello Sir, every time i try that, i see a list with all the programas i have displayed and a check box, every check box is checked, but for some reason it does not allow me to unchecked. Could you please help me? Thankyou

May 30, 2012
ha14

you can try the following from winhelponline
http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/lnk_fix_w7.zip
http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/exe_fix_w7.zip
so now once you repaired your file association go back to your earlier work and see the checkbox is fixed.

May 31, 2012
FIDELIS

Hello, that is the long way of fixing this issue. Easiest way is the one provided by Ha14. What you have is an file extension issue. If you are running windows XP, use the link provided by Ha14 to fix it. If you are using vista/windows 7, try the following link:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

The following link will show you how to change the extension. This is similar to what I answer before just that this link has graphics to explain it:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12196-open-change-default-program.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12196-open-change-default-program.html

May 31, 2012
fidelis

i am very much thank u fidelis to solve my laptop problum. thank u very much

June 16, 2012
Pradeep

This worked for the problem of “Why have all my files become Windows Media Player shortcut ?” I had this problem since yesterday in my Computer. I was looking for solution on internet. I tried “Microsoft Fix it” but did not help…I tried some other too…But what you suggested, I tried and it solved the problem…Thanks a lot…

September 13, 2012