[Kedit]

Windows 7 defaults to Photo Viewer for JPGs. I want to use a different program (IrfanView) but Windows won't let me change the default. I go into Control Panel -> Default Programs -> Set Associations. I select JPG and Change Program. W7 does not list IrfanView so I browse for it, then select "Open". Windows 7 ignores it and does not add IrfanView to the list of Open with -> Other Programs. It keeps Photo Viewer as the default.

Right clicking on a jpg file and trying to select Browse --> just puts me into the above screen. I set the preferences in IrfanView (Options -> Properties -> Extensions) to be the default but Windows is overriding that.

Note that this does work properly on my XP machine - the default was changed just through the IrfanView Options -> Properties -> Extensions

Thank you for considering my problem

[DVOM]

The way I do it in Win7 is to right click a jpg file, then "properties>open with>change". then navigate to the desired program's exe and that does it.

[Kedit]

Thank you DVOM for replying. That does not work. It just puts me in the same screen as i described above. When I select IrfanView and then select "open" Windows ignores it. It just puts me in the list of its choices for programs and does not add IrfanView nor make it the default.

[DVOM]

I googled "windows 7 can't change default program" and found these pages and programs:

Default programs editor:

http://superuser.com/questions/33651...n-in-windows-7

And that page led to this program to unassociate file types:

http://www.winhelponline.com/article...and-Vista.html

Apparently some programs tend to lock up specific associations in the registry. Have you tried changing the default program for other image types? For instance jpeg or gif?

[Hughv]

Try "Set your default program" instead of "Associate a file..." You'll get a choice to select file types as well.
If Irfanview doesn't appear in the list you may need to reinstall it.