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How to restore my original office 2007 file extension icons
Posted on 2009-05-18
For some reason, all my pretty Excel 2007 file icons vanished. I tried reassociating by going to Control Panel > Default Programs > Set Associations and then choosing xlsx and having it always open with Excel. But the file extension icon that got associated with it is a whimpy looking icon - not what was there originally. Any idea how I can re-associate?
In the attached image, the one on the left is what the icon looks like now. I'd like to associate all xlsx files with either of the images on the right.
Capture.PNG
In the attached image, the one on the left is what the icon looks like now. I'd like to associate all xlsx files with either of the images on the right.
Capture.PNG
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In my registry the .xlsx file extension is associated with Excel.Sheet.12 and under this key, you will find the Default Icon:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sh
The value is named (Default), and it is REG_SZ item with the following value:
C:\Windows\Installer\{9112
Go into the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE) and browse down in the left pane to that key. Click on the rightmost subkey (DefaultIcon) to show what exists corresponding to it in the right pane. Check whether the (Default) name exists, and if so, double click it to change to the proper Data value. If it doesn't exist, then right click in the right pane and select New -> String value from the context menu, name it (Default). Then double click it to assign the proper Data value.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Excel.Sh
The value is named (Default), and it is REG_SZ item with the following value:
C:\Windows\Installer\{9112
Go into the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE) and browse down in the left pane to that key. Click on the rightmost subkey (DefaultIcon) to show what exists corresponding to it in the right pane. Check whether the (Default) name exists, and if so, double click it to change to the proper Data value. If it doesn't exist, then right click in the right pane and select New -> String value from the context menu, name it (Default). Then double click it to assign the proper Data value.
I went into the registry, and the default was already set as you described:
C:\Windows\Installer\{9112
C:\Windows\Installer\{9112
Hmm. Copy and paste that folder name into the Run dialog box in order to open the folder, and check whether the xlicons.exe file exists in it...
Really strange. It does seem to be some sort of file association problem in the registry, but I can't figure out yet what it is. I suppose you could try the command line tools mentioned at the bottom of this article:
http://www.officearticles.com/misc/files_dont_open_when_double-clicked_in_microsoft_office.htm
You can't use the first part of the article, because that is for XP and the file association method changed with Vista. But maybe these commands still do their job:
(quote)
Command-Line Switches
The lovely Beth Melton, Microsoft MVP for Microsoft Word, made me realize I need to include these instructions here because...well, because I saw her post it enough! :)
Beth says the /regserver switch will re-register the application, which will recreate all of the application-specific Registry entries and it also recreates the file associations. Since the "Open with" command uses the file associations you'll still encounter errors if the file associations are damaged or corrupt.
Hit Start-->Run and type the command-line switch below into the box and hit Enter (or click OK). Note that there is a space before the slash:
For Word, type: winword /r
For Excel, type: excel /regserver
For PowerPoint, type: powerpnt /regserver
For Access, type: msaccess /regserver
(end quote)
Are any of your other MS Office file type icons messed up? Do you have any programs installed that could possibly destroy the association (Open Office, for example)?
http://www.officearticles.com/misc/files_dont_open_when_double-clicked_in_microsoft_office.htm
You can't use the first part of the article, because that is for XP and the file association method changed with Vista. But maybe these commands still do their job:
(quote)
Command-Line Switches
The lovely Beth Melton, Microsoft MVP for Microsoft Word, made me realize I need to include these instructions here because...well, because I saw her post it enough! :)
Beth says the /regserver switch will re-register the application, which will recreate all of the application-specific Registry entries and it also recreates the file associations. Since the "Open with" command uses the file associations you'll still encounter errors if the file associations are damaged or corrupt.
Hit Start-->Run and type the command-line switch below into the box and hit Enter (or click OK). Note that there is a space before the slash:
For Word, type: winword /r
For Excel, type: excel /regserver
For PowerPoint, type: powerpnt /regserver
For Access, type: msaccess /regserver
(end quote)
Are any of your other MS Office file type icons messed up? Do you have any programs installed that could possibly destroy the association (Open Office, for example)?
That didn't work. :( Do you think there's any way to de-associate file extensions for Excel files completely (so they're blank icons), and then try any of your tricks above to try to get them to associate to the right icon? It sorta seems like the current (undesired) icons are "stuck" to my .xlsx files.
Didn't work. :( I think I'm going to give up... but if you want to keep trying, by all means give it a shot. But I wouldn't mind if you gave up too!
I can't find anything else that seems to pertain to this problem. Did you try the "repair Office" suggestion that petertwliu made? I know I've heard about that option existing, although I've never had to do it.
I did the repair option, and it fixed my .docx problem (same problem as xlsx) but it did not fix my xlsx problem for some reason. That's why I thought I could maybe unassociate the xlsx association completely and then do the repair to see if it fixed it like it fixed my docx.
Note however, I did the Repair option and not the full Remove + Reinstall, which is not worth the little icon problem I have.
Note however, I did the Repair option and not the full Remove + Reinstall, which is not worth the little icon problem I have.
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