Quicktime for Windows steals my file associations!!

This could be a permissions issue in XP pro. I'd go back into the Folder Options control panel click on the View tab and uncheck Use simple file sharing Recommended, and check, show hidden files and folders, while in there. This will now give you a Security tab when you right click and go to Properties, which will allow for the changing of permissions to files and folders related to a program.
Somewhere in C:\Documents and Setting locate the file pertaining to the QT control panel. It may look something like QuickTime.cpl, right click go to Properties>Security. I can't give you the exact file and location, I just put together this computer and don't have any programs on it right now. But you want to take Full Control

Please let us know if the advice posted above by "Jacumba" works. I'm not optimistic. I too have encountered this frustrating side effect of a poor decision by Apple's software engineers to design Quicktime so that it hijacks handling of all types of media files. As described above, none of the usual methods of restoring file associations works. With a lot of digging around, I found out that the Windows registry keys that determine file type associations get changed by the Quicktime installer and once they do, it is not possible to change them back without editing the registry. The only really easy solution that I know works reliably is to uninstall Quicktime.

How do you go about editing the registry to do so? I'm not optimistic, there will be a answer

I tried what you suggested as QT has also hijacked all my file associations, and will not allow other programs to open them. I tried what you suggested, but since I have XP not Pro, maybe that's why I don't have the security tab, or properties>security.

Any other ideas? I need to be able to view QT vids on sites, but I also need to access and use my pictures, audio and everything else QT hijacked. Help?

You can gain access to the “Security Tab” in XP Home by booting in the “Safe Mode.”

BTW I seem to encounter a different problem with QuickTime every time I uninstall and the reinstall it. I even removed all references to QuickTime and Apple in my registry after an uninstall and then reinstalled QuickTime only to run into more problems. I’m assuming there is a software conflict somewhere but it’s not worth the aggravation tracking it down.

I just installed the latest version of QT 7.4.1.14. And found that when associating a file in the QT control panel it worked very well. However it does not release the file, and was not permissions related as I orginally mentioned.

What I had to do to get QT to release the file is. Open the Folder Options control panel, click on the File Types tab. Then click on the file type and click the Change button to re-associate the file with another program. This does not however take the check mark out of the QT control panel preferences.

This could have been done by design by Apple, where the Folder Option control panel is what actually holds the File Types for the windows operating system, and QT control panel just giving you the ability to make the initial change to them. I don't know, but if it is a error they made on their part, then Folder Options is a easy way to go, untill Apple decides to change things around, if they even do.