win 8.1 file association error

[teknotiss]

hey dudes, i have an issue.
my .crpl files will not associate with any program.
i can right click and run with notepad++ etc, but when i try the right click "open with" method it just fails
(the .crpl icons stay as blank page symbols)
if i go to the set file defaults in control panel i cannot see .crpl files at all in the files list
if i go to the default programs i cannot see notepad or notepad++ in the list
so i mooched about and found little help, but this seems similar
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-files/cannot-change-default-file-associations-in-windows/295ddbbc-9f9a-40a2-b3a7-ef4843a04726?page=1
i deleted the reg entries for notepad and word pad and 2 progs i failed to recognise or have installed....
(deep malware damage maybe??? hmmm don't want a clean install weekend! ;))

so to force it i ran notepad++ as admin and added .crpl in the "customise" which means if i click a .crpl file it will open in notepad++ but the icon is still blank.

i had noticed issues with firefox saying it wasn't default a lot, but i thought it was cos it updates so much, but now i think i have deeper default issues..... ??? ::)
so i guess the reg is having conflicts

any light that could be shed would be useful.
recently tweaked windows with some ware, but issues existed before and is unchanged.