8/1/2015

[Solution] .REG Registry Files Always Open with Notepad in Windows - AskVG

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Most of our tutorials include download of ready-made registry script files to fix a problem or to

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tweak Windows functionality. Registry scripts have .REG file extension and when you run them,
Windows merges their data into Windows Registry.
By default, .REG files are associated with Registry Editor (regedit) and when you double-click
on a .REG file, Registry Editor executes the file and shows a message box asking for your
confirmation.
Sometimes when you try to run a .REG file, Windows opens it with Notepad and you can't merge
its data with Registry. After receiving several emails about this common problem, today I decided
to post a working solution to fix this annoying problem.

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[Solution] .REG Registry Files Always Open with Notepad in Windows - AskVG

The automatic opening of .REG file in Notepad can be caused by several reasons like following:
You accidentally associated Notepad or another program with .REG file using "Open with"
window
You used a 3rd party tweaking utility to change the behavior of opening .REG files
.REG files association settings got corrupted in Windows Registry
Actually many tweaking software come with an option to change .REG file behavior. These
software allow you to set "Edit" or "Open with Notepad" option as default to open .REG files
instead of merging them into Registry. This option is provided for security purposes so that you
don't merge incorrect data in Windows Registry accidentally.
It might also be possible that you changed .REG file association settings using "Open with"
dialog box. When you right-click on any file, you get "Open with" option to change the default
program associated with that file type.

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And sometimes .REG file association settings get corrupted in Windows Registry. It might
happen because of using a Registry cleaner software or installing an incorrect registry script file.
Anyway there are many ways to fix this problem and to re-associate .REG files with registry
Editor so that you can directly merge registry files into Windows Registry instead of opening
them in Notepad.
Today in this tutorial, we are going to mention 4 easy ways to fix the problem when .REG files
always open with Notepad instead of merging into Windows Registry.
Following are those 4 easy to use methods:
METHOD 1: Using .REG file context menu
METHOD 2: Using Registry Editor
METHOD 3: Using Command Prompt
METHOD 4: Using Open with window

METHOD 1: Using .REG File Context Menu

If a .REG file opens in Notepad in your system, don't double-click on it. Just right-click on the
.REG file and select "Merge" option to directly merge them into Windows Registry.

Right-clicking on .REG file and selecting "Merge" option will do the same job as you double-click
on a .REG file to merge it into registry.
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METHOD 2: Using Registry Editor

If the above method doesn't work for you. You can merge the .REG file using Registry Editor
itself.
1. Type regedit in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.
2. Now click on File menu and select Import command.

3. It'll open browse dialog box where you can select the .REG file and it'll merge the data into
Windows Registry.

METHOD 3: Using Command Prompt

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Both above mentioned methods are temporary fix for this problem. They help you in merging the
.REG file data into Windows Registry but they don't re-associate .REG files with Registry Editor.
You can use this method to re-associate .REG files with Registry Editor:
1. Click on "Start button -> All Programs -> Accessories". Right-click on "Command
Prompt" and select "Run As Administrator". If you are prompted to enter password, enter the
password and continue. You can also open Command Prompt in Administrator mode by typing
"cmd" in Start Menu Search box and press "Ctrl+Shift+Enter".
2. Now provide following command:

assoc.reg=regfile

3. That's it. It'll restore .REG file settings and it should fix the problem.

METHOD 4: Using Open With Window

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If none of the above mentioned methods work for you. Here is a 100% working method to fix this
irritating problem.
1. Right-click on .REG file and select "Open with -> Choose default program" option.

2. It'll open "Open with" window. Now look for "Registry Editor" program in the given list. If you
find it, select it.
3. If you don't find the program in the given list, click on "Browse" button, type
%windir%\regedit.exe in file name text box and click on "Open" button. If you don't want to type
the whole path, you can go to C:\Windows folder in browse dialog box and there you'll get
regedit.exe file to select.

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4. Now make sure to select the checkbox "Always use the selected program to open this
kind of file" and click on OK button.
5. That's it. It'll re-associate Registry Editor with .REG files and now whenever you'll try to open a
Registry script, it'll directly merge the data into Windows Registry instead of opening the file in
Notepad.

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Comments
Kapil Arya
Excellent article Vishal, thanks :)
Herman
I ever experienced this problem before and I used method 4. Works great.
Rishi
Hi....! VG
plzz provide me visual basic 2010 all code
plzzz "VG"

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[Solution] .REG Registry Files Always Open with Notepad in Windows - AskVG

Rishi
Plzz VG Provide Me Visual Basic 2010 Codes
Prem
Hey VG,
I got a strange problem with registry editor. Whenever i want to merge any *.reg file to windows
registry, it says, 'Registry editor has been disabled by your administator.' . The same thing
happens with Task manager.
Please tell me a solution to get rid of this.
Please...
VG
^^ Check following:
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-enable-tools-folder-options-and-registry-editor-in-windows/
David Walker
I don't understand the description "folder view type problem" that is shown in the screenshots.
Folder view type doesn't have anything to do with .reg file associations. Can you please explain?
Thanks.
VG
^^ Just to show how it looks like when REG file opens in Notepad instead of merging into
Registry.

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David Walker
Ah, now I get it. Thanks.
Michael Oravits
Had issues with installing/uninstalling programs on my vista. Went through various sites and
downloaded the msiserver.reg info. NOBODY bothered to mention what your article did about
loading registry files. I used the registry import method #2. It loaded, I rebooted and smiling ever
so much since the installer now works. THANK YOU!
VG
^^ Glad to help you. :)
Devendra Kumar Rai (From Nepal)
Great
Thank you very much
johua
Thank u very much :d
N.S Iraq4life Chris and Dante are faggots xD
This was really helpful
Thanks..Thanks a lot
ravindra.pc
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Usefull..
Amrita
Hi..useful information!!..actually i am very new to this..i want to automate the Internet Explorer
settings using batch file.i.e.
Tools->Internet Options->Connections->LAN settings and i want to un-check all the check boxes
except "Automatically detect settings". and save it..
So if i am using below code and saving it in .REG extension and using MERGE then will my file
be automated:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings]
"ProxyEnable"=dword:00000000
"ProxyServer"="172.16.0.1:80"
Please help me out!!!!
Amrita
VG
^^ Yes. It should work.
Amrita
Hii..Actually the code that i have mentioned that is in .reg file extension.
I wanted to change the "LAN settings" available in Connections tab.i.e.unchecking or checking
the "Automatically detect settings" setting.
And i wanted to code in .bat file extension.
I coded something which looks like this:
@ECHO OFF
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REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections" /v

Automatically detect settings /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
But it didn't worked. Please if you could tell me, where i am going wrong.
VG
Use following:
@ECHO OFF
REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v AutoDetect /t
REG_DWORD /d "1" /f
Klein
I've tried some problem.
My file (extention .txt) always open with regedit.
I will try to solve problem :
1. - right click
. - properties
. - open with...
. - choose default programs
. - Select notepad
X_X" Can't work
2. @Anonymous "right click on the file go to properties and under general tab. click change. now
browse for notepad in c:\windows. click select it as your default program to open .txt files. Hope
that helps.."....
.. But, What the hell ? there's no "change" in general tab !!, sorry i'ts not working
3. I Use Default Programs Editor,
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[Solution] .REG Registry Files Always Open with Notepad in Windows - AskVG

- Click File Type Settings

- Click Context Menu
- Delete Command "Open with program regedit or registry"
- Click Save Context Menu
...it's work, Thank's a lot... ^_^
amsaveni
once i click tha start button and right click the some program and open with notepad,now all
programs are open with notepad how to solve
VG
^^ Try following:
http://www.askvg.com/solution-exe-files-always-open-with-notepad-or-other-applications/
Tajol
Plzz help me....I used ccleaner to cleans the registry.....And then, after i restart my laptop i can't
Open google chrome and can't updates my antivirus...other that, my laptop slowed down after
doing the registry clean.(sorry for my english)
Thanks..
VG
^^ First post your HijackThis log file in following topic:
http://www.askvg.com/is-your-system-infected-with-a-virus-spyware-adware-trojan/

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tajol
thanks,but the problem has solved few days ago^^.... :)
But I get problem with my taskbar........when I minimize any icons or folder(what ever).....It is on
the taskbar and hovering over it shows the preview of the window. However clicking on it does
not make it reopen and become visible....How can i fix it..
thanks,:)
Annalise Baxter
Hello, I'm trying to install an Unturned save from a YouTube video, but when i download the save
it says that it's a .txt file even though it the file name has .reg at the end. The thumbnail image is
a text document, and none of the above 4 fixes work for me.
Fix 1:
Since it's entered as a text file, the 'Merge' option doesn't appear.
Fix 2:
Registry Editor's 'Import' function doesn't show the .reg file at all in the browse file window.
Fix 3:
After i copy and paste the command into it, it says that there was an error while processing .reg.
Fix 4:
It doesn't allow me to associate the '.txt' file with Registry Editor and won't let me open the file
with it.
I hope there is a solution.
Keith Lewis
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Annalise,
open a file explorer, and press the alt key. then go to tools --> folder options under the View tab,
uncheck the "Hide extensions for known file types" box. I suspect that this is an
"examplefile.reg.txt". By default, Windows hides these.
Ram
Thanks mate :) it really helped :)
bindu sharma
my ms office is not working problem is modification is not allowed to because selection is locked
pls reply
Steven
Thanks mate, helped me quite a bit and I consider myself smart in IT haha!
Manish Magar
i don't know how to thank you.....I accidentally tried to open a file with some other program but
then the whole programs and even the system programs got changed to different format. I cudn't
access microsoft office or any other programs.. i was so frustrated and felt like going for a total
format of my computer. I followed your "method 4" and damn it worked. I can't express how
happy I was then. I had my online assignment which had to be posted the very next day.
anyways, thank you askvg. it really helped me alot

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