Explorer corrupted?

[Bangkok Barry]

I'm using Win 7. A few days ago I downloaded an update for Faststone Viewer via what looks like a useful site for such things, Ninite.com. Now, whenever I open a file in Explorer it opens in Firestone Viewer, which of course is useless for anything other than graphic files. Right-clicking the file/programme shows Browse with Firestone at the top in bold, followed by Open and then Open in new window in normal font. Doing that then opens the file correctly (ie not in Firestone). I am unable to remove Browse with Firestone from that index.

 

I have tried system Restore, which failed with a message saying it might be due to an antivirus programme (which it isn't because I disabled it). I have uninstalled and reinstalled Firestone Viewer and looked through File Associations on both that and on Windows, but can't find a solution. Nor can I find reference to the problem on Google.

 

By using right-click and open I can access the programme or folder I want, but it's an irritating extra step. Does anyone have any suggestion on how to fix the problem, which sounds perhaps like a Registry corruption.

[wgdanson]

I stopped reading after your first sentence.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

I stopped reading after your first sentence.

 

Thank you for your input. If you have nothing useful to say, why do you bother to reply? Bizarre.

[NanLaew]

56 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I have uninstalled and reinstalled Firestone Viewer...

You reinstalled it?

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I downloaded an update for Faststone Viewer via what looks like a useful site for such things, Ninite.com

Don't be duped by sites selling apps that will automate your program updating. Get updates from the source, not third-party websites.

 

I would look at your installed programs list and see if there was anything else installed on the date/time you did this FastStone update.

Edited October 21, 2019 by NanLaew

[Bangkok Barry]

1 minute ago, NanLaew said:

You reinstalled it?

 

Yes, to see if I had solved the problem by uninstalling it. It previously worked fine, before the update. I've also searched for an alternative as good, without success.

[Bangkok Barry]

8 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Don't be duped by sites selling apps that will automate your program updating. get updates from the source, not third-party websites.

 

Good advice, but this site came recommended by a highly regarded IT blogger and technician. Maybe I should contact him about my problem ????

[CGW]

Download and run ccleaner free version, see what it finds? https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner?source=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4aGJmL6s5QIVzBErCh0E9Q6qEAAYASAAEgKmAPD_BwE

[Bangkok Barry]

39 minutes ago, CGW said:

Download and run ccleaner free version, see what it finds? https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner?source=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4aGJmL6s5QIVzBErCh0E9Q6qEAAYASAAEgKmAPD_BwE

 

Thanks. I tried that and got rid of a lot of junk, but the problem persists.

[Crossy]

Try restoring to the default file associations

 

https://www.wintips.org/how-to-change-restore-default-file-associations-in-windows/

 

[Bangkok Barry]

22 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Try restoring to the default file associations

 

https://www.wintips.org/how-to-change-restore-default-file-associations-in-windows/

 

 

I'd tried that and I've had a look at that link but it doesn't really address how to open Explorer or anything in it, only individual programmes. Strangely, Faststone doesn't even show up n listed programmes. Items open in Faststone by default with no apparent way to prevent it. A right click doesn't produce an 'Open with' dialogue, which would be the obvious way to set the programme defaults, but that option isn't there.

Edited October 21, 2019 by Bangkok Barry

[Bangkok Barry]

I've deleted Faststone for good - or at least until I change to a new laptop in the near future, and found what looks to be a decent alternative called XnView, which I'm going to tinker with. It doesn't try to open all my folders in a photo viewer!

 

Anyway, any further suggestions will still be welcome.

[Beggar]

There are other programs like

 

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/file-association-fixer-for-windows-7-vista-released

 

And if you search for  windows 7 file associations registry fix  you will find much more. 

 

Perhaps you have a backup and you can restore this. At this occasion - it is always a good idea to keep the system partition as small as possible and to store software (if possible) and data on different partitions. I have more than 10 Terabyte on my computer. I have backups for everything but it takes very long to restore everything. But my system partition is small and restored from backups in a couple of minutes. 

[CLS]

Is it an add-on?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Beggar]

12 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I've deleted Faststone for good - or at least until I change to a new laptop in the near future, and found what looks to be a decent alternative called XnView, which I'm going to tinker with. It doesn't try to open all my folders in a photo viewer!

 

Anyway, any further suggestions will still be welcome.

There are many good options to show pictures. I use IrfanView a lot. Here more

 

https://techwiser.com/best-photo-viewer-for-windows-10/

 

I would download software only from the developer directly if possible and I always check the downloaded files for viruses before I install anything. If I am not sure I even run it in a virtual space first. I also always use unistallers (that remove all changes as far as possible) and of course I have my backups. 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 minutes ago, CLS said:

Is it an add-on?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

A programme. https://www.xnview.com/en/ I've still to explore it (excuse the pun) but it appears to look and work in a similar way to Firestone.

[Bangkok Barry]

9 minutes ago, Beggar said:

There are other programs like

 

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/file-association-fixer-for-windows-7-vista-released

 

And if you search for  windows 7 file associations registry fix  you will find much more. 

 

Perhaps you have a backup and you can restore this. At this occasion - it is always a good idea to keep the system partition as small as possible and to store software (if possible) and data on different partitions. I have more than 10 Terabyte on my computer. I have backups for everything but it takes very long to restore everything. But my system partition is small and restored from backups in a couple of minutes. 

 

I'll have a look. I do have a backup of all my files both in a partition on my laptop and on a mobile SSD, but talking about a system partition is getting a little too deep for me. My ageing machine has only a 500GB disk. Imagine that! ???? Much stuff stored on a third 1.5TB SSD though.

[Beggar]

13 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

I'll have a look. I do have a backup of all my files both in a partition on my laptop and on a mobile SSD, but talking about a system partition is getting a little too deep for me. My ageing machine has only a 500GB disk. Imagine that! ???? Much stuff stored on a third 1.5TB SSD though.

I made a lot of videos (even with real Dolby Surround) when I was younger. I also did a lot with 3D. This is why I need so much space. But if I am honest all these data rest there today... The system partition is Drive C. And I always do partition backups (with Acronis). And the smaller the partition is the quicker the backups. 

[bendejo]

I have been using FastStone Image Viewer for some years, currently have ver 7.3 installed.

What is Firestone Viewer?

Do you mean Firestorm?

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, bendejo said:

I have been using FastStone Image Viewer for some years, currently have ver 7.3 installed.

What is Firestone Viewer?

Do you mean Firestorm?

 

 

 

Please excuse my brain fart.

[Bangkok Barry]

20 hours ago, Beggar said:

There are other programs like

 

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/file-association-fixer-for-windows-7-vista-released

 

And if you search for  windows 7 file associations registry fix  you will find much more. 

 

Perhaps you have a backup and you can restore this. At this occasion - it is always a good idea to keep the system partition as small as possible and to store software (if possible) and data on different partitions. I have more than 10 Terabyte on my computer. I have backups for everything but it takes very long to restore everything. But my system partition is small and restored from backups in a couple of minutes. 

 

Thanks. I've tried the site and the problem remains. What is strange is that I go to Applications in Faststone Viewer and I untick an item at the top that says "Show with Faststone" folder context menu in Windows Explorer, but it's still there when I right-click on a folder.

 

Although I have previously used IOBitUninstaller to delete Faststone Viewer, I'll now go through the registry myself to see if there are any 'rogue' elements left. I'd still prefer to use that than the XnView programme that I've found.

[Beggar]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Thanks. I've tried the site and the problem remains. What is strange is that I go to Applications in Faststone Viewer and I untick an item at the top that says "Show with Faststone" folder context menu in Windows Explorer, but it's still there when I right-click on a folder.

 

Although I have previously used IOBitUninstaller to delete Faststone Viewer, I'll now go through the registry myself to see if there are any 'rogue' elements left. I'd still prefer to use that than the XnView programme that I've found.

If you have a good backup I would restore this. You wrote that with the system at the moment even System Restore doesn't work anymore. Perhaps you have a virus / malware problem. I wouldn't trust this system anymore.