some of my icons i can't use any more. The pop up says this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. creat an association in folder option control panel. I just got the computer and lots of terms i don't know. I know where folder option is but from there i'm out in the cold. Can someone help this confused grandmother

Folder Options > File Types

When you click on a line you should have the option to change the association.

You might also try this free registry cleaner:

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

This will remove invalid or deleted file types.

I have no idea what the hover desk is talking about . I really am computer stupid. I want to take some class if i can find one. Spyro43

Did you try the file associations under folder options?

What icons are you having problems with? Are these icons on your desktop?

If so can you open these same programs from start > All Programs?

I had icons on desk top to go to email and my bank shockwave and some others. But now i get that messageabout file folders. I use to get the sites i wanted. I must have clicked o9n something that i should not have but i don't know what. I can't even do refresh.It will not let me. The message i get is [ this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. creat an association in the folder options control panel.] AS i said i know where its talking about but not what its talking about.

All those icons are just shortcuts. You should be able to open all these programs via start > All Programs

You can also recreate the shortcuts via the entries in All Programs.

It sounds as if your desktop might have corrupted .lnk files. If that is the case:

Go to this site: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm?

And click this line: LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut Behavior)

The link contains the file association fixes for Windows XP. Simply download the .lnk file association fix, unzip it, and double-click the REG file. It just fixes the file association for shortcuts (.lnk files), which in turn should fix the problem you stated.

What the heck is unzip it??? I will try the link you gave me jephree.I thank you for the help your trying to give me.

The file is zipped. Condensed for transfer. You need to extract (unzip) it.

After you download it right click and choose Extract.

I know i am being stupid but nothing is going like you said. I never saw a reg file.

Save this to your desktop:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/linkfile_fix.zip

Right click it and choose: Extract to folder C:\...

Double click the folder:

Then click:

linkfile_fix.reg