I am 76 years old and not very computer literate.
I have recently been given a laptop to replace my desktop computer.Both have XP to make it easy for me to transfer stored information.
I am able to shortcut icons such as my bank onto my computer desktop for easy access.When I try to do this on the laptop,the following message comes up "This file does not have a program associated with it to perform this action,Create an association in folder options control panel"
I do not know how to do this.Can someone help using simple language please.
Ted

Welcome to techhelpforum.

Both have XP to make it easy for me to transfer stored information.

How are you transferring data? Burning to CD then copying this data onto the other machine?

"This file does not have a program associated with it to perform this action,Create an association in folder options control panel"

What is the file extension of the files? (ie; .doc, .txt, .xls, .pdf, etc)

My method for transferring data is to have both computers on.copying the details by typing into yahoo opening the page and then adding to my favourites.
I dont understand "file extension of the files".To get the icon on my desktop,I go to my favourites,right click the item I want and left click on the "send to desktop(create shortcut) this puts the icon onto my desktop.It is when I try to open this icon that the message appears. If I open up the item direct from my favourites there is no problem.
Thanks for the help Ted

So you're not physically transferring files. You're going to websites (on the "new" machine) and making shortcuts (links) to your Desktop?

Have you set up an internet connection yet on the laptop to do the above? If not, and you're just creating shortcuts with web addresses typed in, this may be the reason the shortcuts aren't "associated" yet.

Right click on one of these shortcuts (which produce the error) and choose Properties. Is it a Web Document with a web address in the URL box?

Thank you for your questions and your patience.
I used each internet address to download the page to my laptop from the internet,then shortcut to my desktop.
The internet address is shown on the properties url.
I am using the laptop to send this reply.
Ted

Open My Computer or Windows Explorer. On the Menu bar, click on TOOLS then Folder Options. Click on File Types. Find the entry for URL:Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. Click on Advanced. Click on OPEN to highlight it and then click on Edit...

Is IEXPLORE set as the default application? (See attached pic.)

I have clicked on Advanced,the Edit File Type page appears but the Actions box has nothing in it,the Edit option is not bold and cannot be opened.Everthing else is as your picture. Ted

Can you click on NEW and add/create OPEN? If so, EDIT the OPEN command and fill in what you see in the picture. The first entry is partially hidden. The full line is;
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE" -nohome

I clicked on NEW a picture came up with two boxes,one saying ACTION the other APPLICATION USED TO PERFORM ACTION.
I put OPEN in the first box and the following message appeared,"The specified program could not be found,make sure the name and path are correct".
I tried the second box,same message appeared.Im begining to lose the will to live.

have you checked to see if the user you login with has admin rights?

might be you dont have access to that program.