Solved "Open with..." Problem: Will not change Default Program

[LostAtSea]

Problem: All .max files on my PC automatically open with Adobe Acrobat (obviously the incorrect program).

If I go to "Open with..." only Adobe Acrobat is available.

Clicking "Browse.." and trying to change the program yields no change.

I haven't tried uninstalling (then reinstalling) either program yet, as I am using both of them frequently for a university assignment.

Here is a screenshot of my "Open With" window, along with other .max files in the background.

I can open .max files from Autodesk 3ds Max, but this is more tedious and time consuming than it sounds, and it isn't really a solution.

Help me Obi Wa... I mean Seven Forums, you are my only hope.

 

[BisVal]

Control panel - Default programs - Set associations

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9154-default-programs-associate-file-type-protocol.html

 

[LostAtSea]

Hmmm, I think this might possibly be a Max problem.

Via "Control panel - Default programs - Set associations" I can change the program to any program, other than 3ds Max

 

[Brink]

Hello LostAtSea, and welcome to Seven Forums.

When you were using Open with, were you able to select Autodesk 3ds Max, or select the .exe file for the Autodesk 3ds Max program while browsing?

If you go into Set your default programs instead, is Autodesk 3ds Max listed to be able to set it as the default program for all of it's associations?

 

[LostAtSea]

Sorry, I should have stated that I can click on the Autodesk 3ds Max .exe but it doesn't change anything and takes me back to the suggested programs list. It only does this for the Autodesk 3ds Max .exe though. I can for example change it so the file opens with Word, or Excel, or Flash etc. but not Max.

 

[Brink]

I found this below that will hopefully help.

Re: .max files not opening 3ds Max 2011 - Page 2 - Autodesk Discussion Groups

 

[LostAtSea]

Thanks Brink. I had actually found this before posting on here and it didn't help me at the time, however after going back and reviewing it, I realised that I had missed something very crucial out.

My problem is now fixed! Huzzah!

Thanks once again for all the help.

 

[Brink]

Great news.

 

[ChazInFlorida]

Problem: All .max files on my PC automatically open with Adobe Acrobat (obviously the incorrect program).

If I go to "Open with..." only Adobe Acrobat is available.

Clicking "Browse.." and trying to change the program yields no change.

I haven't tried uninstalling (then reinstalling) either program yet, as I am using both of them frequently for a university assignment.

Here is a screenshot of my "Open With" window, along with other .max files in the background.

I can open .max files from Autodesk 3ds Max, but this is more tedious and time consuming than it sounds, and it isn't really a solution.

Help me Obi Wa... I mean Seven Forums, you are my only hope.

I almost went crazy trying to resolve this issue! My issue started with IE always asking me to let it be the default browser. I discovered that the .html file types were not assigned to a program and none of the usual step would allow me to assign it. I finally stumbled on the solution and feel obliged to enter it on this forum in order to save someone else's sanity.
Here are the steps I used:

1. Click the "Start" button, type "regedit" and press "Enter" while holding the "Ctrl" and "Shift" keys.
2. Click "Continue" in the confirmation window, or type the administrator password, if requested.
3. Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes" in the Registry Editor. Right-click the extension under "Classes," select "Delete" and click "Yes" in the confirmation window.
4. Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExt." Right-click the extension under the "FileExt" folder in the left-hand pane, and select "Delete." Click "Yes" in the confirmation window.
5. Test that the association has been removed by double-clicking it from Windows Explorer. If it opens an associated program, then continue the procedure. If it asks you to choose a program, then the association has been removed.
6. Hold the "Ctrl" key and press "F" to search the Registry. Enter ".EXT", replacing "EXT" with the actual extension, and press "Enter." Right-click any folder from the right-hand pane that is named after that extension, and delete it. This step may be unnecessary, but some programs place additional entries in randomly named folders.
7. Use the "Default Programs" dialog to set the association as normal.

After further investigation, I found that the original problem was caused by a badly coded program uninstall procedure file.