XP can't change program asso w/ file types

Factual Questions
1

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.

2

…and I can’t use “OPEN WITH” either.

3

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)?

4

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

5

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…

6

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…

7

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.