XP can't change program asso w/ file types

Windows XP on Dell desktop.

I can’t change the programs associated with ANY file type.

I go: START>CONTROL PNL>FOLDER OPTS>FILETYPE

but the tags named NEW, DELETE, CHANGE, ADVANCED…all grayed out.

How do I fix this and why does my computer hate me?

Thank you.

…and I can’t use “OPEN WITH” either.

Is this just a recent development (as in, it used to work, but now it doesn’t)?

Do you have Administrative rights on your machine? An easy way to check is to right-click on the Start button. If you see the options “Open All Users” and “Expore All Users”, you have Admin rights; if not, you don’t.

What version of XP are you running (Home, Pro, Media Center)?

Some malware will turn these setting off. Do you have a virus checker? I would run that first.

I’m an Admin.

Just got rid of Antivirus2009, but this has been going on for some time, maybe a year.

I run CCleaner, AVG and just added Malwarebytes, which removed AV2009.

Thanks for your interest…

If you have admin rights, then I’d say it’s a lingering effect of the Malware. Probably a bad registry setting that got flipped. Harmless by itself, but annoying. Google might be able to tell you the registry setting, and if you’re comfortable using RegEdit…

Thanks very much to Suburban Plankton, Khadaji and CandidGamera for replies. I stumbled over the solution and feel like a meathead for missing it:

In FireFox click TOOLS> OPTIONS> APPLICATIONS.

Live and learn, eh?

Thanks again.