"open with" function, can't add new programs to list

[DavePL]

If I right click on a file and choose "open with", would like to use Excel, or Photoshop, but they're not on the list, so I click on "browse" and attempt to add the new program to the list. However nothing happens, they will not add.
Was wondering is there a way to fix "open with"? It is very convenient when it works. The problem seemed to start after I installed an older version of Adobe Acrobat.

 

[linney]

Sorry for the "completely obvious" but are you clicking to select the "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" check box if it is not already selected?

Can you remove this older version of Adobe and or perform a System Restore to before the problem began?

A couple of other things to try to reregister a dll or check for corruption.

Start, Run, regsvr32 /i shell32.dll

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.

 

[bcastner]

You do not add new programs to the "list" with Browse. The only way to add new programs is through Control Panel, Folder Options, File Types.

 

[DavePL]

Haven't had a chance to try the system file checker yet, however I found a big improvement after installing new Acrobat Reader 7. That fixed file associations with PDFs.