Problem setting program defaults

[baixiwei]

I am having this weird problem where I can't set the program default for .ppt files as Powerpoint.

I have 64-bit Windows 7 and 32-bit Microsoft Office, which I just installed recently to replace the 64 bit version because the latter didn't work with Mendeley Desktop's automatic bibliography function.

For some reason, .ppt files are not automatically opened by Powerpoint. When I double click a .ppt file, I get a message asking me to select a default program. I first tried using POWERPNT.EXE, under Microsoft Office in Program Files (x86), but for some reason that opened up Adobe Acrobat. WTF!? Next I tried entering the same path that comes up for the Powerpoint icon when I type Powerpoint in at the start menu. This caused some weird program entitled "Microsoft Office Component" instead of "Microsoft Office Powerpoint" to appear in the programs menu that I get when selecting program defaults. I set it as the default and then tried double clicking a .ppt file - this yielded the bizarre error "<filename> is not a valid Win32 application". So I guess I did something wrong setting the default. I went back to the "choose default program" menu and tried navigating to POWERPNT.EXE again, but now selecting it does nothing at all - it just keeps displaying the same "Microsoft Office Component" icon and I keep getting the same error when I try to open the file. I went to the "set program defaults" under the control panel and found that the default for everything except .ppt (e.g. .pptx, .pps, etc.) are all set for "Microsoft Powerpoint". But I can't figure out for the life of me how to get .ppt to have the same setting. Help would be much appreciated!

 

[seavixen32]

What version of Office are you using and did you uninstall the 64-bit version before you installed the 32-bit one?

I only ask because people have had difficulties in uninstalling Office 2010.

Probably a long shot, but can you try restoring to a restore point before you installed Office 64-bit?

 

[baixiwei]

Thanks for your reply!

It's Office 2010 and I did uninstall the 64 bit one first, which was also 2010. I didn't encounter any problems while doing so.

I've never restored to a restore point before ... does that mean restore my whole hard drive to an earlier state? Sounds like overkill if so, but maybe I don't understand what it means.

 

[t-4-2]

I am using Win7 Home Premium 64-bit.
I have MS Office Home and Student 2007.

1. If you have Open With in your right click context menu.....
Right click at your ppt > Open With > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > put a checkmark at " always use the selected program to open this kind of file > OK

2. Start > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program > under Name, scroll down to ppt > look across, under Current Default, it should say Microsoft Office Powerpoint ......
if it does not say that > top right > Change Program > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > OK

How to add Open With to your right click Context Menu
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52833-open-context-menu-item-add-remove.html

 

[baixiwei]

Hi t-4-2, thanks for your reply but I already tried both of the things you said and they didn't work, hence my post. Sorry if this wasn't clear.

1. If you have Open With in your right click context menu.....
Right click at your ppt > Open With > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > put a checkmark at " always use the selected program to open this kind of file > OK

My problem is: HOW to "select Microsoft Office PowerPoint" after clicking "Open With"? It doesn't appear as an option. When I click "Browse" I get taken to the full hard drive directory. From there, problems arise as mentioned in my original post.

2. Start > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program > under Name, scroll down to ppt > look across, under Current Default, it should say Microsoft Office Powerpoint ......
if it does not say that > top right > Change Program > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > OK

It doesn't say Microsoft Office Powerpoint. When I try to Change Program, I run into the same problem just described.

 

[seavixen32]

Thanks for your reply!

It's Office 2010 and I did uninstall the 64 bit one first, which was also 2010. I didn't encounter any problems while doing so.

I've never restored to a restore point before ... does that mean restore my whole hard drive to an earlier state? Sounds like overkill if so, but maybe I don't understand what it means.

Providing you have system restore switched on, Windows will take snapshots of your system registry at regular intervals, but most likely when you install a new application, driver or update.

If you restore to a point before you installed Office 2010 and that cures your problem all you would need to do is re-install Office along with any other software during the relevant interval.

I know it seems like overkill, but you are not uninstalling Windows and your personal data will be untouched.

 

[t-4-2]

Hi t-4-2, thanks for your reply but I already tried both of the things you said and they didn't work, hence my post. Sorry if this wasn't clear.

1. If you have Open With in your right click context menu.....
Right click at your ppt > Open With > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > put a checkmark at " always use the selected program to open this kind of file > OK

My problem is: HOW to "select Microsoft Office PowerPoint" after clicking "Open With"? It doesn't appear as an option. When I click "Browse" I get taken to the full hard drive directory. From there, problems arise as mentioned in my original post.

2. Start > Default Programs > Associate a file type or protocol with a program > under Name, scroll down to ppt > look across, under Current Default, it should say Microsoft Office Powerpoint ......
if it does not say that > top right > Change Program > select Microsoft Office PowerPoint > OK

It doesn't say Microsoft Office Powerpoint. When I try to Change Program, I run into the same problem just described.

Do me a favour, please check this...
Start > All programs > scroll down to Microsoft Office > left click > what are listed there ?

 

[baixiwei]

Thanks for your reply!

It's Office 2010 and I did uninstall the 64 bit one first, which was also 2010. I didn't encounter any problems while doing so.

I've never restored to a restore point before ... does that mean restore my whole hard drive to an earlier state? Sounds like overkill if so, but maybe I don't understand what it means.

Providing you have system restore switched on, Windows will take snapshots of your system registry at regular intervals, but most likely when you install a new application, driver or update.

If you restore to a point before you installed Office 2010 and that cures your problem all you would need to do is re-install Office along with any other software during the relevant interval.

I know it seems like overkill, but you are not uninstalling Windows and your personal data will be untouched.

Hm ... OK, I see ... however, I installed the 64 bit version a long long time ago, did you mean go back before the 64 bit one was installed or just before the 32 bit one was installed?

Do me a favour, please check this...
Start > All programs > scroll down to Microsoft Office > left click > what are listed there ?

Microsoft Office Excel, Powerpoint, and Word. (I didn't install the rest of Office, just these three. Word programs open fine by default.)

 

[baixiwei]

Bumping, anyone else have any ideas for how to solve this issue?

(I am still not sure about seavixen32's suggestion due to the question I raised in my previous post. Office 64 was installed a long long time ago so it would be a huge pain and perhaps impossible for me to go that far back.)

 

[Irene]

Press Start > type file association into the search field box.
You will see "Change the file type associated with a file extension" appear at the top of the list above.

Now touch the link and allow the window to populate.
Next find the .pps from the list on the left > highlight it and touch "Change Program" (up on the right). Hopefully PowerPoint will be listed as available - select it, and the association should be fixed.

 

[baixiwei]

Thank you Irene for your reply!

Unfortunately this does not work. First, I assume you meant .ppt instead of .pps, right? (There is no problem with .pps files - they already correctly open in Powerpoint.) So, when I highlight .ppt and click "change program", PowerPoint is NOT listed as an option! The initial window shows something called "Microsoft Office Component" (the current default) and also another icon called "Microsoft Office", but setting it to either of these doesn't work. I have also tried clicking "browse" from that window and navigating to POWERPNT.exe but that has no effect (choosing POWERPNT.exe does not change the program default at all, it remains set at "Microsoft Office Component" and the PowerPoint icon still does not appear in the initial window listing options for program defaults). It seems like this "Microsoft Office Component" option has somehow overrruled the PowerPoint option which should appear there.

Any idea how to fix this? Much appreciated!

 

[t-4-2]

You DO mean the file extension is .... ppt ?

If so, just a suggestion .....

Right click at the ppt > New > that will open the ppt in editing mode > click Save button > save as type, select either ......
PowerPoint Show (*ppsx)
or
PowerPoint 97-2003 Show (*pps)
> Save.

You should be able to open the presentation in normal way now.

*** Editing :
I have no problem opening ppt in my 2011 PowerPoint.

The suggestion given is just a work-around till you find a solution.

 

[baixiwei]

Yes, .ppt is the one I'm having trouble with. (I'm having the same problem with .xls and .xlsx also.)

Thanks for the workaround - that sounds like it would work, although still kind of a pain in the neck.

Any other ideas for a permanent fix?

 

[t-4-2]

Yes, .ppt is the one I'm having trouble with. (I'm having the same problem with .xls and .xlsx also.)

Thanks for the workaround - that sounds like it would work, although still kind of a pain in the neck.

Any other ideas for a permanent fix?

I could be wrong in my undestanding in this subject....
It is not a matter of " permanent fix ", it's wrong method of saving a presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation is not supposed to be save as ppt.or pptx.
Presentations saved in ppt or pptx open in Edit mode, not in Show mode.
Presentations saved in pps or ppsx open in Show mode.

For the same reason, you don't e-mail a presentation in ppt or pptx format. You send it in pps or ppsx format.

 

[t-4-2]

>>>> (I'm having the same problem with .xls and .xlsx also.)
What is the problem with them ?
Can't open them ?

Did you try ...
right click at xls or xlsx > Open With > Choose default program > select Microsft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher

or Start button > Default Programs > Assoiciate a file type ot protocol with a program > under Name, scroll down to xls > look across to the right > Current Default should be Microsoft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher
If not, click Change Program ... > select Microsoft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher > click OK when done.

Hope that will help.
( FYI ... xls and xlsx will be opened in Excel window.)

 

[baixiwei]

I could be wrong in my undestanding in this subject....
It is not a matter of " permanent fix ", it's wrong method of saving a presentation.

PowerPoint Presentation is not supposed to be save as ppt.or pptx.
Presentations saved in ppt or pptx open in Edit mode, not in Show mode.
Presentations saved in pps or ppsx open in Show mode.

For the same reason, you don't e-mail a presentation in ppt or pptx format. You send it in pps or ppsx format.

I think we're talking about different things. I have no problem with .pps files. They open fine (in show mode, as you said). There is also no problem with .pptx files - they open in edit mode. The problem is with .ppt files: PowerPoint is not set as the default program to open these files, and I can't find a way to set it as the default.

I'm not sure what you mean by saying that PowerPoint files aren't supposed to be saved as .ppt. That's not true. They should be saved as .ppt when you want them to open in edit mode, which is indeed what I want.

Sorry if I've misunderstood your point.

 

[baixiwei]

>>>> (I'm having the same problem with .xls and .xlsx also.)
What is the problem with them ?
Can't open them ?

Did you try ...
right click at xls or xlsx > Open With > Choose default program > select Microsft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher

or Start button > Default Programs > Assoiciate a file type ot protocol with a program > under Name, scroll down to xls > look across to the right > Current Default should be Microsoft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher
If not, click Change Program ... > select Microsoft Application Virtulization DDE Launcher > click OK when done.

Hope that will help.
( FYI ... xls and xlsx will be opened in Excel window.)

The problem for .ppt, .xls, and .xlsx is all the same: the default program isn't set to be what it should be, with the result that the files fail to open when I double click them, and I cannot find a way to properly set the default program.

What is Microsoft Application Virtualization DDE Launcher? It also does not show up on the list of options for default programs - is there some way I can navigate to this?

 

[t-4-2]

>>> I'm not sure what you mean by saying that PowerPoint files aren't supposed to be saved as .ppt. That's not true. They should be saved as .ppt when you want them to open in edit mode, which is indeed what I want.

You can open any pps files in edit mode...just right click at pps > click New.
You mdon't need to save them in ppt format.

I can't help you any further. I am out of ideas . Sorry.

 

[baixiwei]

Ah, I finally understood you about .pps. That will work OK although still a pain in the neck to have to change the file extension when other people send me .ppt files.

Thanks for your help!

I'm still stuck completely with .xls and would like a complete fix for .ppt. Does anyone else have any idea? I found that other people have had this problem too but I didn't find any solutions that haven't already been mentioned here. Perhaps somehow locating the Microsoft Application Virtualization DDE Launcher would be the thing to do but I can't find it on my hard drive.

 

[einsteniano]

same problema

hi, i have the sam problem. Have you cleanlely solved it?