a message as started to come up on my laptop this file does not have a program associated with it to performing this.create an association n set association control panel for vista how?
That seems like it's not a real message from Vista or whoever - microsoft would not put a message up with spelling mistakes and such poor grammar. It's probably a virus or something (you can always tell scams and such because they don't sound like the person writing them knows English).
I'd re-post this in Technology/Computers for a more suitable answer. Most files require a program associated with it to enable Windows to know how to open it. Windows default settings normally works ok with most but occasionally it will trip up over some unknown ones.
What's the file suffix? ie, .jpg .jpeg .png .doc
You can find file associations under Control panel/Default Programs/Associate a file type or protocol with a program.