This sounds like a classic case of a broken file association to me.
What are File Associations?
Your computer has thousands of files on it, all with an alphabet soup of file extensions. These file extensions tell Windows what type of file it is. For example, you likely know that a file named “file.txt” is a text file thanks to the “.txt” file extension. Likewise, a file named “file.doc” is a document file. The list goes on with literally thousands of known file extensions out there.
However, Windows doesn’t necessarily know what to do with files containing certain extensions. A file association is a setting that tells Windows what the file extension is and which program to use to open it. For example, your computer may have a file association set up on it instructing Windows to use Notepad for opening .txt files. It may have a file association that tells Windows to use Microsoft Word for opening .doc files. Similarly, audio files such as .wav, .wmv, or .mp3 may have file associations set instructing Windows to use your favorite media player.
What Happens when File Associations are Broken?
When a file association is broken, Windows no longer understands what to do with the file. It then opens a Search box and often fills the box icons of programs representing programs that it thinks may work. For example, if the file association for .txt files is broken, when you click on the desktop icon representing the .txt file (or click a .txt file in Windows Explorer or an e-mail attachment), Windows will open the search box and suggest various programs such as Notepad, WordPad, or Microsoft Word. A Browse button is also present where you can browse your computer to find a suitable program.
Fixing File Associations
Fixing broken file associations involves right-clicking the icon, choosing Open (or Open With), finding the appropriate application for the file type, selecting it, and then marking the check box that says “Always use the selected program for opening this file type.”
Why do File Associations get Broken?
File associations break occasionally, usually because some glitch caused corruption in the Windows registry. In addition, other software sometimes makes itself the default program for opening certain file types. Users also inadvertently change file associations. Any number of possibilities exist.
One Other Possibility
Since this is a Desktop icon, possibly a shortcut, it’s possible that the shortcut’s target is missing or incorrect, causing Windows to open a Search box of some sort. Right-click the icon and select Properties. Is a path entered in the Target box? If so, is it correct? It may be easier to delete the problematic shortcut and create a new one from the original source.
Celeste Stewart | November 5th, 2008
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