Unable to launch ANY executables!!

[Adam]

I am helping a friend fix some computer problems at her
business. She runs XP Home. I recently had to get rid of
the Sasser worm and I installed the fix for it, but this
seems unrelated.

Whenever I try to open any programs from the desktop, My
Computer, Start Menu, or anywhere, I get a message that
it cannot find the specified file "program.exe" Please
check the path and filename and try again. Or it'll also
say to open the search from the Start Menu and go from
there. This happens with ANY executable file/program I
try to open. Files like photos, text documents, or
webpages, however, open just fine, if a little slowly.

I'm trying to install a firewall, update the Norton virus
definitions, and run Spyware-killer software, but can't
get them to run, even from a CD. I get the same results
if I run them in safe mode, and even from a command
prompt. There are many important business files on this
computer that we may be able to transfer over the network,
but i don't really want to format and start from scratch.
Any help/advice from the pros, please?

My problem sounds very similar to this guy's (go find the
post):

Subject: Win32/MoSucker.B. was found and...
From: "Ronnie" <[email protected]>
Sent: 5/31/2004 6:16:12 PM

Thanks a million!
Adam

 

[Kaylene aka Taurarian]

http://www.dougknox.com/index.html
Under WinXP Fixes - File Association Fixes
EXE File Association Fix (Restore default association for EXE files)

 

[Guest]

Thanks a million! That was the problem exactly!!!