ALL shortcuts point toward MSN Messenger!!!! I can't run anything

[Guest]

Ok... installed MSN Messenger 7 beta -- also got the latest MS Security
Updates --- upon rebooting my computer all shortcuts point to msn messenger
--

the regular start ups result in multiple instances of msnmsgr.exe in
substitution - verified while I watch in the tskmgr -- they all drop to a
single instance of msnmsgr.

icons on the desktop that point to a .doc .ppt .html will open the necessary
program

ALL other icons/whether in the start menu or control panels only result in
msnmsgr being called -- in checking the properties for these short cuts
nothing appears altered but they don't work.

The only icons that work are MSN Msgr and Outlook Express - the two items
that I received security updates for before reboot.

I've looked into the registry -- there are no abberants in the run folders


ANY help or suggestions are appreciated... Thanks

 

[Guest]

System Restore did not work

In looking through the registry -- (I'm no expert) but I note on most of the
extensions the "Persistent Handler" is the same --- not sure if that should
be but the value listed is {098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb} except for
the things that seem to work.. like .doc and .html -- could that be the
problem??

I'm lost here..

 

[Guest]

the persistent handler above leads to a entry listed as the null handler
which in turn leads to an InProcServer32 with a default value of "query.dll"

I don't know what to do now.. I'm completely lost -- my thought was perhaps
those registry points would all lead to msnmsgr.exe somehow but... OH WHY IS
THIS HAPPENING TO ME -- I have lengthy paper that was due LAST NIGHT!!!!
PLEASE HELP

 

[Guest]

I am able to run command.com and from there I have been able to run norton
client security/antivirus and pestpatrol corporate client -- a couple of
adware and an msntrojan that I was fully expecting given a sharware program
that I installed but nothing to cause this kind of damage -- It had to be
something with the MS security updates gone wrong -- I'm still at a loss --
can anyone help?

 

[Guest]

I have managed to uninstall the MSN Messenger now -- reboot

all icons now come up with the promp - Choose the program you want to use to
open this file -- so I'm looking at this as progress - at least it's not an
error because the target is gone -- in the selection window however the
option to 'always use this ' is greyed out --

So, What .exe or .com or whatever is the default handler for .exe files?? I
need to know where to point these things....

 

[Alton Toth]

Not to be rude or anything, but you seem to be posting EVERY LITTLE THING
that is going through your head. And notice, that as each post comes out,
you've gotten a little farther and a little farther DESPITE claiming that
youre stuck and can't go frther. Might I suggest just continuing to
troubleshoot ityourself WITHOUT posting here, until you either 1)solve it,
or 2) REALLY are stuck.

Alton

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Cannot run EXE files [Programs don't open]:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/exefile.htm

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User
http://windowsxp.mvps.org



I have managed to uninstall the MSN Messenger now -- reboot

all icons now come up with the promp - Choose the program you want to use to
open this file -- so I'm looking at this as progress - at least it's not an
error because the target is gone -- in the selection window however the
option to 'always use this ' is greyed out --

So, What .exe or .com or whatever is the default handler for .exe files?? I
need to know where to point these things....