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Changing default program via GPO

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Saturday, January 22, 2011 10:43 PM

Hi

Synopsis:

Windows server 2008 R2.

Client pc´s : W7

Am challenged by a strange puzzle - we have recently upgraded from office2003 to office2007, and fore some reason this caused the file associations for eg. .tif files to dissapear. I managed to find a healthy regfile and re-import this to our client pc´s - to restore the default program association via a GPO. Now .tif files is opened by the program "Windows Photoviewer" - but I would like .tif files to be opened by the office 2007 MSPV.exe

There are quite som hacks to achieve this, but are you familiar with a good way of doing this via GPO. I see that under GPO ->User settings -> control panel settings -> folder options I can set the value "open with" - but is not able to find the application mspv.exe as the office 2007 is not installed on the server. (I read something about server side client extensions ? - but is unable to locate any for w7)

 Any ideas how to solve this.

your help is much appricated.

best regards

irminger

All replies (2)

Saturday, January 22, 2011 11:16 PM ✅Answered | 2 votes

The "Open With" Preference setting will do the job. Even if the app is not installed on the server where you're editing policy, you can manually type in the full path to the .exe as it would exist on the client. Or, you can install the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on one of your Win7 machines where the app is installed and edit the GPO from there. You don't need any special client-side extensions as your clients on Win7 already have the GP Preferences extensions. The "server-side extension" is just the MMC snap-in in the GP Editor that gives you the ability to edit GP Preferences settings like "Open With" If you can see the "Preferences" container in a GPO, then you have the correct snap-in (its installed by default on Win7 with RSAT and Server 2008-R2).

Darren

Darren Mar-Elia MS-MVP, Group Policy
www.gpoguy.com
www.sdmsoftware.com - "The Group Policy Experts"

Tuesday, January 25, 2011 4:28 AM ✅Answered | 6 votes

Hi,

 

To create a new Open With preference item

  1. Open the Group Policy Management Console. Right-click the Group Policy object (GPO) that should contain the new preference item, and then click Edit.

  2. In the console tree under User Configuration, expand the Preferences folder, and then expand the Control Panel Settings folder.

  3. Right-click the Folder Options node, point to New, and select Open With.

  4. In the New Open With Properties dialog box, select an Action for Group Policy to perform. (For more information, see "Actions" in this topic.)

  5. Enter Open With settings for Group Policy to configure or remove. (For more information, see "Open With settings" in this topic.)

  6. Click the Common tab, configure any options, and then type your comments in the Description box.

  7. Click OK. The new preference item appears in the details pane. 

For the detailed information, please refer to the following Microsoft TechNet article:

 

Configure an Open With Item

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732272.aspx

 

Regards,

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