Vista - Return ZIP files to open with default program

I mistakenly chose to open a corrupt ZIP file with WinRAR and thus lost my
ability to open ZIP files with the original compressed folders program in
Vista. I had not noticed that the option to 'always use this program to open
this type of file' is always checked in Vista, unlike in XP.

Realizing my mistake, I decided to try to return it to its original default
program to open with. What do I get? A dozen or so completely unrelated
programs from a history list but NOT the original default progam of Vista's
to open with! And its not a regular exe that you can browse to in Windows
folder, but seems to consist of esoteric commands that trigger the compressed
folders function in Vista.

How do I get the original compressed folders program association back?

Hi amenx,

Click Start, type regedit.exe and press Enter.
Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.zip

Delete the sub-key named "UserChoice"

Close Regedit.exe

If that does not help, get the .zip file association fix from here:

File association fixes for Windows Vista:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"amenx" <amenx@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BEDA51F9-B1AE-40E1-B0E5-8E89F9FD162C@microsoft.com...
I mistakenly chose to open a corrupt ZIP file with WinRAR and thus lost my
ability to open ZIP files with the original compressed folders program in
Vista. I had not noticed that the option to 'always use this program to open
this type of file' is always checked in Vista, unlike in XP.

Realizing my mistake, I decided to try to return it to its original default
program to open with. What do I get? A dozen or so completely unrelated
programs from a history list but NOT the original default progam of Vista's
to open with! And its not a regular exe that you can browse to in Windows
folder, but seems to consist of esoteric commands that trigger the compressed
folders function in Vista.

How do I get the original compressed folders program association back?

Thank you Ramesh, that worked! It wasnt easy, it wouldnt delete the key
without adjusting the permissions, but the important thing it worked.
Valuable lesson I learned from this, thanks once again.!

amenx

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> Hi amenx,
>
> Click Start, type regedit.exe and press Enter.
> Navigate to the following branch:
>
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.zip
>
> Delete the sub-key named "UserChoice"
>
> Close Regedit.exe
>
> If that does not help, get the .zip file association fix from here:
>
> File association fixes for Windows Vista:
> http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com
>
>
> "amenx" <amenx@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:BEDA51F9-B1AE-40E1-B0E5-8E89F9FD162C@microsoft.com...
> I mistakenly chose to open a corrupt ZIP file with WinRAR and thus lost my
> ability to open ZIP files with the original compressed folders program in
> Vista. I had not noticed that the option to 'always use this program to open
> this type of file' is always checked in Vista, unlike in XP.
>
> Realizing my mistake, I decided to try to return it to its original default
> program to open with. What do I get? A dozen or so completely unrelated
> programs from a history list but NOT the original default progam of Vista's
> to open with! And its not a regular exe that you can browse to in Windows
> folder, but seems to consist of esoteric commands that trigger the compressed
> folders function in Vista.
>
> How do I get the original compressed folders program association back?
>

You're welcome, amenx.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"amenx" <amenx@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:888DFAE1-B6FC-4E6B-8F3B-4A1A311817A8@microsoft.com...
Thank you Ramesh, that worked! It wasnt easy, it wouldnt delete the key
without adjusting the permissions, but the important thing it worked.
Valuable lesson I learned from this, thanks once again.!

amenx

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> Hi amenx,
>
> Click Start, type regedit.exe and press Enter.
> Navigate to the following branch:
>
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.zip
>
> Delete the sub-key named "UserChoice"
>
> Close Regedit.exe
>
> If that does not help, get the .zip file association fix from here:
>
> File association fixes for Windows Vista:
> http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
> Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com