Picture & fax preview

Arg!! I have looked everywhere but to no avail... Does anyone know how to disable Microsoft's bloody picture & fax viewer?? I have my own program that I prefer to use (and have been for years) And when I hit "enter" or double-click on an image file, I want it to open with the program I have, NOT with the ridiculous previewer. (I have the file associations properly set, but it seems that Microsoft has deemed it necessary to override my file associations with their own idea of a viewer)

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

Thank you in advance

 

Oops

Sorry -- I JUST found the answer... I'll try this and let you all know how it works... But for any of you out there who also want this thing gone, here's the info I found:

Picture and Fax Viewer - Prevent Image and Fax Viewer From Stealing Associations

Delete this string:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\ShellImagePreview
@= "{e84fda7c-1d6a-45f6-b725-cb260c236066} "

Manually Edit: Right Click On image file. Choose "open with ", then "choose program" Select your favorite image viewer program. Check the "always use selected program" box Click OK.

Disable Picture and Fax Viewer

Start/Run/CMD/regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll

If you disabled the fax/picture viewer by using regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll, then changing user icons fail to work: You need to re-load the dll and it will work. Have only tried this w/ XP Pro. Reload by typing in regsvr32 shimgvw.dll.

Remove Image Preview

Start/Run/Regedit - Delete the key.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\ShellEx\ContextMenuHandlers\ShellImagePreview

 

WOO HOO ! It works

YES! Okay.. run the following (in the run command window):

regsvr32 /u shimgvw.dll

Be warned however.. While this DOES disable the picture and fax viewer, it also prevents you from changing the user icons in the logon screen...