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I Think Its Something Simple but cannot see it.

tesuhoha
tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
edited 28 December 2014 at 7:59PM in Techie Stuff
Today I was trying to get the video from our new dashcam to play. I was unsuccessful but have managed to completely mess up my laptop. First of all the icons on my desktop all changed to windows media player, so they were 'open with' Windows Media Player and so would not open at all. Then when I was trying to fix it I clicked on 'open with' and put in internet explorer.

So now all my desktop icons are Internet Explorer and they do not open but something weird comes up.

Basically instead of opening AVG for example a box comes up it asks me what I want to do with the file, open it, or save it. All of the icons on the laptop are like this and I can change it to paint, internet explorer, notepad etc but they all change to the same thing whereas before I had different icons on the desktop. I have been trying to find out which setting I have accidentally changed without success.

I tried to do a system restore twice but it failed each time. I tried to do a screen print to show you but it did not show it properly. I tried to do another print screen but too many items apparently.
The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






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Comments

  • Moneymaker
    Moneymaker Posts: 1,984 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Interesting but what is your question?

    If you have a question, you are more likely to get a useful reply if you divulge exactly what Operating System you are using and your level of expertise. (I'm guessing "beginner".) Also exactly what you installed (if anything) and the make & model of your "dashcam".
  • tesuhoha
    tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Moneymaker wrote: »
    Interesting but what is your question?

    If you have a question, you are more likely to get a useful reply if you divulge exactly what Operating System you are using and your level of expertise. (I'm guessing "beginner".)

    Okay. My operating system is Windows 7. My question is how can I change the icons on the desktop back to normal and have them just open up like they used to. Yes, beginner.
    The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






  • tesuhoha
    tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    edited 28 December 2014 at 8:09PM
    I think I have accidentally changed a setting somewhere but I have been looking for hours and cannot see what I have done. The icons on the bottom taskbar have also changed to internet explorer and every single program on the start menu has lost its icon and is showing internet explorer.
    The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






  • Peter999_2
    Peter999_2 Posts: 1,159 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Hi,

    Don't panic, it is fixable.

    Probably the easiest way, though not the quickest is to reset the default programs.

    Go into control panel and then choose "Set Default Programs".

    Click on each application you need and choose "Set This Program as Default". Will take a while but will fix it.
  • tesuhoha
    tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Peter999 wrote: »
    Hi,

    Don't panic, it is fixable.

    Probably the easiest way, though not the quickest is to reset the default programs.

    Go into control panel and then choose "Set Default Programs".

    Click on each application you need and choose "Set This Program as Default". Will take a while but will fix it.

    Thank you I will try that again. I have already tried that but I am not sure what the default program should be on all of them. I will have another look at that though.
    The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






  • Peter999_2
    Peter999_2 Posts: 1,159 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ah, didn't realise you'd already tried this.

    Another option is to follow the instructions here if it still isn't working :

    http://www.windowsvalley.com/restore-default-file-association-in-windows-vista-and-windows-7/
  • tesuhoha
    tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    edited 28 December 2014 at 9:08PM
    Peter999 wrote: »
    Hi,

    Don't panic, it is fixable.

    Probably the easiest way, though not the quickest is to reset the default programs.

    Go into control panel and then choose "Set Default Programs".

    Click on each application you need and choose "Set This Program as Default". Will take a while but will fix it.

    Hi I tried this suggestion as I am not an advanced user. I went through the whole list and changed them but when I clicked back on them they had changed back again from this program has all its defaults (which I imagine is how it should be).

    Nothing has changed on the desktop. I am going to wait for my son to come home from work (he is on nights) as he will probably be able to work it out.
    The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






  • Laz123
    Laz123 Posts: 1,742 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 29 December 2014 at 3:14AM
    2 things to try: Tweakui is a windows tool with an option to restore desktops icons http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_windows_xp_powertoys.html
    I'm not sure it will work with W7 but will tell you if not.


    Also run Malwarebytes to see if a nasty has crept into your system.
  • maas
    maas Posts: 512 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts I've been Money Tipped!
    I think Peter's 2nd suggestion should fix it.

    There's more information on the problem on microsoft forum with a quick reg fix, although I'd suggest the manual fix first.
  • tesuhoha
    tesuhoha Posts: 17,971 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    Laz123 wrote: »
    2 things to try: Tweakui is a windows tool with an option to restore desktops icons http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_windows_xp_powertoys.html
    I'm not sure it will work with W7 but will tell you if not.


    Also run Malwarebytes to see if a nasty has crept into your system.

    I am beginning to wonder if I have a virus. My computer will not let me run any of my anti virus programs such as spybot, spyware blaster or AVG. Also Windows 7 would not let me install this tool you suggested and it
    The forest would be very silent if no birds sang except for the birds that sang the best






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