can't open .exe files

[tcread]

Summary
I'm helping a friend fix her XP Home Edition laptop that has either
been infected with a virus and/or corrupt from a failed system restore.
Regardless, the symptoms are consistent with several other postings,
and although I've reviewed them thoroughly, I still can't seem to get
into the registry.

Symptoms
all .exe files have a '.lnk' extension, and can't be opened. i've tried
selecting the application automatically, and selecting the application
by manually navigating to it through Windows Explorer, but no luck.
..doc, .xls, .ppt, files appear okay.

Solutions
the most valuable posting i found directed me to the following
Microsoft support page:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555067&Product=winxp

I was able to successfully open a command prompt through 'command.com',
but unable to get the registry to open at Step 5. After entering
'regedit.exe regedit.com' i get the following: "Are you sure you want
to add the information in regedit.com to the registry?"; if i select
"Yes", I get "cannot import regedit.com: Error opening the file. There
may be a disk or file system error."

I tested both the above in normal mode, as well as safe mode.

++
I would greatly appreciate any additional thoughts and advice on how to
launch the registry so I can make the suggested changes.

 

[Lester Stiefel]

Summary
I'm helping a friend fix her XP Home Edition laptop that has either
been infected with a virus and/or corrupt from a failed system restore.
Regardless, the symptoms are consistent with several other postings,
and although I've reviewed them thoroughly, I still can't seem to get
into the registry.

Symptoms
all .exe files have a '.lnk' extension, and can't be opened. i've tried
selecting the application automatically, and selecting the application
by manually navigating to it through Windows Explorer, but no luck.
.doc, .xls, .ppt, files appear okay.

Solutions
the most valuable posting i found directed me to the following
Microsoft support page:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555067&Product=winxp

I was able to successfully open a command prompt through 'command.com',
but unable to get the registry to open at Step 5. After entering
'regedit.exe regedit.com' i get the following: "Are you sure you want
to add the information in regedit.com to the registry?"; if i select
"Yes", I get "cannot import regedit.com: Error opening the file. There
may be a disk or file system error."

I tested both the above in normal mode, as well as safe mode.

++
I would greatly appreciate any additional thoughts and advice on how to
launch the registry so I can make the suggested changes.

You have a virus that renamed the exe files to another
extension, by adding that extension to it (example is
'notepad.exe' to 'notepad.exe.bat'. It is never easy to get
rid of such items- you will need to run a batch file to
rename the files that were renamed back to their original
extension, if this is the case. Also, you'll need to find
the file that did the damage and remove it (getting into
task manager, if possible and stopping any tasks that were
loaded then try to remove the task from registry, if possible.)

 

[S.Sengupta]

Additionally:
File association REG fixes are available at:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

You Are Unable to Start a Program with an .exe File Extension
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=310585

You cannot start programs when your computer is infected with the SirCam
virus
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=311446

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Step 4 in that article is wrong. Use the information here:

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

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Summary
I'm helping a friend fix her XP Home Edition laptop that has either
been infected with a virus and/or corrupt from a failed system restore.
Regardless, the symptoms are consistent with several other postings,
and although I've reviewed them thoroughly, I still can't seem to get
into the registry.

Symptoms
all .exe files have a '.lnk' extension, and can't be opened. i've tried
selecting the application automatically, and selecting the application
by manually navigating to it through Windows Explorer, but no luck.
..doc, .xls, .ppt, files appear okay.

Solutions
the most valuable posting i found directed me to the following
Microsoft support page:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555067&Product=winxp

I was able to successfully open a command prompt through 'command.com',
but unable to get the registry to open at Step 5. After entering
'regedit.exe regedit.com' i get the following: "Are you sure you want
to add the information in regedit.com to the registry?"; if i select
"Yes", I get "cannot import regedit.com: Error opening the file. There
may be a disk or file system error."

I tested both the above in normal mode, as well as safe mode.

++
I would greatly appreciate any additional thoughts and advice on how to
launch the registry so I can make the suggested changes.

 

[donnie.bugden]

Thanks, The first link worked after merging xp_exe_fix.reg. Windows can
open .exe again!