File extension corrupt

Nearly all my apps have been changed to show a file
extension of .lnk. This is also shown on the icons in
windows explorer.
Each time I atempt to open an app or click a desk top icon
I get the "open with " dialogue box.
I can't enter any of the usual help systems due to the
problem.
Can anyone help?

I will give you a fix for the usual lnkfile problem
Make a file from the lines below called Link.reg and doubleclick it.
You can use Notepad to create it from this message. Don't retype it as
an error might occur. Copy it.
Ensure that REGEDIT4 is the first line and that your mail/newsreader
does not add a space to the end of any line.
Ensure the last line is blank.
If your Windows folder is other than C:\Windows then alter the file
accordingly.

You will need to restart Windows after this fix to see the effect.

----------Link.reg ----below this line
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]
@="lnkfile"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]
"Command"="C:\\WINDOWS\\rundll32.exe AppWiz.Cpl,NewLinkHere %2"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=hex:01,00,00,00
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandl ers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandl ers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]
@=""

--------(end of link.reg-----

....Alan

--
Alan Edwards, MS MVP W95/98 Systems
http://dts-l.org/index.html


In microsoft.public.win98.apps, "w.r.crook"
wrote:

Nearly all my apps have been changed to show a file
extension of .lnk. This is also shown on the icons in
windows explorer.
Each time I atempt to open an app or click a desk top icon
I get the "open with " dialogue box.
I can't enter any of the usual help systems due to the
problem.
Can anyone help?