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Why can't I stop Internet Explorer opening .xml files?

Anonymous
2011-12-14T11:29:59+00:00

I'm using Windows 7 Home as an Admin user (which has IE 9 installed, just for reference).

I opened an .xml file in Windows Explorer, and it opened with Internet Explorer.  So...

  1. I went to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Associations
  2. I located ".xml" which had a current default of "Internet Explorer"
  3. I highlighted the ".xml" line and clicked the "Change program..." button
  4. I selected "UltraEdit Professional Text/Hex Editor" from "Recommended Programs" on the "Open With" dialogue.  (Note: the "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" checkbox was checked and greyed out)
  5. I clicked "OK".

The "Set Associations" screen displayed a progress-bar briefly, and then showed exactly as before... ".xml" is associated with "Internet Explorer".  And indeed, .xml files still open with IE.

I tried the process again several times, sometimes double-clicking the ".xml" entry instead of clicking the "Change program..." button; sometimes selecing the Ultra-Edit executable manually (via "Browse").  I also tried assigning .xml to "Notepad" instead.  But always I get the same result.

Please help me solve this problem: it is extremely frustrating.

Thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-06-22T21:02:42+00:00

    It is more helpful to the community when Microsoft answers questions...

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-07-03T23:52:51+00:00

    I'm still getting this exact same problem too, in IE8 on Win7 (trying to make XML files open in UltraEdit as well). For me, the control panel file association setting is already set to UltraEdit for .xml files. Despite telling Windows to open XML files with UltraEdit, and also setting within UltraEdit to open XML files with that program, Windows still does what it wants and not what I want, and opens XML files in IE.

    @James, why open a multitude of threads with the exact same problem? This thread highlights that the problem has been around since 2011 without a solution.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-04-27T13:06:39+00:00

    I am noticing the issue, were you able to figure out a solution. If so please let me know.

    Thanks much.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-12-17T22:17:31+00:00

    Thanks for your reply.  I'll answer the questions below.

    About the support.microsoft.com link, it's not applicable because I don't  want to open the file with any Office program.  I just want to set the filetype to open with a completely different program (notepad.exe, Ultra-Edit, or in fact any other text editor).  It seems to be the File Association sytem itself which will not change from "Internet Explorer".

    1. This is a new PC, a few weeks old.  I've made no particular change which could account for the problem.
    2. I met the problem the first time I wanted to open an XML file.  So I can only say, I've never tried to open an XML file previously on this PC, and trying brought me through the sequence I've described.
    3. All .xml files.  But specifically, I say again, it's the file association which will not change.  I would love to be able to upload a screenshot, but you just need to imagine setting the program which opens XML files and that instruction being completely ignored.  After as before, it lists that it will open with Internet Explorer, and such it does, regardless of the change I apply.
    4. The only security software, is Windows Firewall and AVG Free Anti-virus.

    Hope you can help...

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  5. Anonymous
    2011-12-15T05:39:18+00:00

    Hi,

    1.     Did you make any recent changes to the system prior to the issue?

    2.     Was it working fine earlier?

    3.     Is the issue confined with all .xml files or all files?

    4.     Do you have security software installed on your system?

    Follow the article mentioned in the link below and check if it helps.

    XML files may open in Internet Explorer instead of opening in the expected Office program when the Content Type header contains the charset parameter

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888579

    Let us know if it helps.

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