Game Shortcut Links in Games Explorer Do Not Work

Brink · Sep 13, 2008

How to Fix Game Shortcut Links in Vista Games Explorer

Information

If you click on any game shortcut link in the Games Explorer window and it does not work or you get the error: This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel. , then this will show you how to fix this. For missing game shortcuts, you will just need to create and copy a new shortcut into the Games Explorer window.

Note

This usually happens when the XP method of deleting the IsShortcut registry value for .lnk files (Shortcuts), to remove or change the shortcut arrow overlay icon, is used in Vista by mistake. For a safe Vista method, see: How to Remove or Change the Shortcut Arrow and Name in Vista

Tip

Even though the game shortcuts will not work in Games Explorer, you usually can still open the game from a shortcut of it from another location.

EXAMPLE: Games Explorer Window
NOTE: Other than the links below, you can type Shell:Games in the white line (Start Search) area of the Start menu, or in the Run window, and press Enter.

OPTION ONE

Using a REG File Download

NOTE: This restores all of the .lnk (shortcuts) default associations in Vista.

1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below.

Shortcut_lnk_Fix.reg

Game Shortcut Links in Games Explorer Do Not Work

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