Windows 10: W10's brain damaged way to assign apps <-> file types

One of the biggest annoyances of Windows 10 is the absolutely brain damaged way to assign file types to applications. For most file types if one right clicks the right hand side the only option is the already assigned application or "Look for an app in the store".

On my wife's computer I just wanted to assign epub's (an e-book format) to Edge (since Edge can handle that format). But there is no way to assign Edge to handle epubs! The currently assigned application is "Internet Explorer" (which had no clue how to handle epubs) and one can not download Edge from the store for obvious reasons (since it comes preinstalled with the system and is not available in the store).

Result: it is impossible to read an epub file on my wife's MS Surface tablet just and only due to this braindamaged file type assignment handling in Windows 10! What did these guys smoke when designing this dialogue?

:)

 

However, it seems that some files may have been corrupted or damaged as Windows Update fails to work and I get some errors when running SFC and DISM fails to repair .

<Original title: Updating an already installed windows 10 Pro>

<p>I already have a w10 Pro installation on my pc. However, it seems that some files may have been corrupted or damaged as Windows Update fails to work and I get some errors when running SFC and DISM fails to repair even though I have a ISO Source located
on a USB-stick. The DISM cannot locate the Source file even though the syntax is according to what Microsoft says.</p><p>Now, contacting Microsoft they tell me that I can create a clean W10 installation With the approved tool and then upgrade the installed
W10 Pro on my pc from the USB-stick containing the created W10 on the USB-stick.</p><p>Anyone have any info on this and if it is the way to establish a new W10 installation on my pc retaining all the apps, then why is it not mentioned anywhere either With
Microsof or in the community?</p><p>I am tempted to try but would appreciate any comment on this beforehand.</p>

 

Update driver error

I'm : Thanks.

1) Acer v 1.09, November 30th2009 / Aspire 5517

2) Pop-up window:

"Windows cannot find 'wuapp.exe'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try

again. " <-- I did not type, only pressed links in I.E.11 as follows:
Tools Menu>Windows Update <--

then the pop-up window.

3) Misunderstanding: precisely, I can't find an updater in M.E., or in the W10 File Explorer.

In W8.1Pro w/Media Ctr., File Explorer: Control Panel>System & Security>"System" > Update (something

or other). This subcategory link is missing in W10's subcategory listing altogether - in my W10 installation.

Thanks again.

 

Hello mmo, *Smile

You should be able to use an option in the tutorial below to either set Microsoft Edge as the default app for all of it's associations OR set Microsoft Edge as the default app for the .epub file type.

*Arrow Choose Default Apps in Windows 10 Windows 10 Apps Features Tutorials

 

Unfortunately, none of the methods described in the tutorial worked:

Method 1 & 7: I don't want to reset all file types! It took me already long enough to assign a couple of types that had no defaults. Furthermore, my wife hates Edge as browser, so assigning it to handle all its possible file types is no option here.

Method 2. The "Open with..."-approach does not work either. Edge is not listed here.

Method 3 & 4: There is only that dreaded "Look for an app in the store" and no "Look for another app on this PC" option in the file type dialog (although for Edge that probably wouldn't work anyway, since there is no "edge.exe" to assign here as it is a "modern app". ||-(

Method 5: There is no protocol involved here. We are dealing with local files here.

Method 6: The set defaults by app method does not work either. For some strange reason on my Surface, "epub" is one of the listed file types for Edge, but on my wife's computer "epub" is missing from fhat list. And there seems no way to edit this list of file types. :-(

Method 8: Edge is not listed as possible application. And one can not assign it using "Other app"...

I guess the root of the problem is, that Edge - at least on this system - is not listed as possible handler for epub files. Guess my next action will be to dive into the registry...

 

Try this, it should disable store option and reveal the PC one.

*Arrow Remove 'Look for an app in the Store' from Open with in Windows 10 Windows 10 Apps Features Tutorials

Code: reg add "HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer" /v "NoUseStoreOpenWith" /t REG_DWORD /d "1" /f[/quote]

 

Thanks - that might help. But - as I had to learn - there is no executable (.exe) for Edge. How can I assign it as the app to be called?

 

Do you see Microsoft Edge listed in the Start Menu -> All Apps list?

If so, will is successfully open?

Running the command below should open Microsoft Edge if there's no issue with it.

*Arrow %windir%\explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge

 

That command works fine when pasted into Command Prompt [Administrator] but not in PowerShell, basically says it can't find things with this message:

 

Yeah, the %windir% variable doesn't work in PowerShell, but you can use this below instead. *Smile

explorer shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge

 

Yes - Edge opens fine from the start menu.
Unfortunately it is not possible to assign the above line into the "Search an app on this PC" dialog. This yields an error message
"can't find explorer.exe shell:Appsfolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge"
Obviously the dialog check for the existence of that file and can't handle that name (or rather: name plus argument), even if I replace %windir% with its value.

 

@mmo,

The command was just to see if you would be able to open Microsoft Edge if it wasn't listed in All Apps.

Since Microsoft Edge is working for you, I have added an epub download to the table in Option 2 of the tutorial below to see if it may help. It will restore the default association of .epub files to Microsoft Edge.

*Arrow Restore Default File Type Associations in Windows 10 Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

 

You don't have to. You can use Option Seven, step 4 to pick and choose individual file types to set. Select Mirosoft Edge and click on 'Choose defaults for this program'. It has a tick-box for .epub.