Desktop links (*.lnk) no longer working

David Pladgeman · External Since: Nov 30, 2006 Posts: 2

In an effort to get IE to openup with a webpage on system startup, I copied
a desktop link (a URL link) to the startup group.
When I started up, I was presented with a message - what program do you want
to use -
I selected IE but accidentally ticked the always associate box.
Now all the links on my desktop have lost their icons and now don't work
giving the error - no associate program.
Can anyone help me put this back to working order.
I tried a google search and looking on Microsoft website, but unless you
know the exact terms to search for they are not much use.
I have Windows 2000.
Many thanks

David

Dave Patrick · External Since: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 3539

From a command prompt;
assoc .lnk
should return with
..lnk=lnkfile
If not
assoc .lnk=lnkfile

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"David Pladgeman" wrote:
> In an effort to get IE to openup with a webpage on system startup, I
> copied
> a desktop link (a URL link) to the startup group.
> When I started up, I was presented with a message - what program do you
> want
> to use -
> I selected IE but accidentally ticked the always associate box.
> Now all the links on my desktop have lost their icons and now don't work
> giving the error - no associate program.
> Can anyone help me put this back to working order.
> I tried a google search and looking on Microsoft website, but unless you
> know the exact terms to search for they are not much use.
> I have Windows 2000.
> Many thanks
>
> David
>
>

David Pladgeman · External Since: Nov 30, 2006 Posts: 2

I have now found a registry tweak to fix this.

Regards
David

"David Pladgeman" wrote in message

> In an effort to get IE to openup with a webpage on system startup, I
copied
> a desktop link (a URL link) to the startup group.
> When I started up, I was presented with a message - what program do you
want
> to use -
> I selected IE but accidentally ticked the always associate box.
> Now all the links on my desktop have lost their icons and now don't work
> giving the error - no associate program.
> Can anyone help me put this back to working order.
> I tried a google search and looking on Microsoft website, but unless you
> know the exact terms to search for they are not much use.
> I have Windows 2000.
> Many thanks
>
> David
>
>

Sid Knee · External Since: Sep 23, 2005 Posts: 216

To make the thread complete for future users searching the internet for
the same problem, why not tell us the tweak you found.

David Pladgeman wrote:
> I have now found a registry tweak to fix this.
>
> Regards
> David
>
> "David Pladgeman" wrote in message
>
>> In an effort to get IE to openup with a webpage on system startup, I
> copied
>> a desktop link (a URL link) to the startup group.
>> When I started up, I was presented with a message - what program do you
> want
>> to use -
>> I selected IE but accidentally ticked the always associate box.
>> Now all the links on my desktop have lost their icons and now don't work
>> giving the error - no associate program.
>> Can anyone help me put this back to working order.
>> I tried a google search and looking on Microsoft website, but unless you
>> know the exact terms to search for they are not much use.
>> I have Windows 2000.
>> Many thanks
>>
>> David
>>
>>
>
>