Can't run most EXEs!!!!

[Guest]

I couldn't run any exe, lnk, reg files without having to choose a program to
open it with, which doesn't always work. I searched and found a fix for the
exe and lnk but it was in reg format, and i can't run reg files. So i
decided to do a repair install. Now halfway through the repair install it is
wanting to open rundll32.exe and brings up the file association box wanting
me to choose a program to open it with, which doesn't work. I have no idea
what to do.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Cancel out of the repair as it is relying on already installed system
functions and you will likely only make matters worse and end up doing a
format/clean install. Have you tried right-clicking the .reg files and using
the merge function?

How about if you locate regedit.exe and right-click/rename it to
regedit.com, will it open now?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[wayne]

good chance you have a virus use a bootable disc and stand alone scanner
like stinger to check or even better pull the drive and put it in a second
PC as a secondary drive and do a full scan

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/


Wayne

 

[WinGuy]

I couldn't run any exe, lnk, reg files without having to choose a program to
open it with, which doesn't always work. I searched and found a fix for the
exe and lnk but it was in reg format, and i can't run reg files. So i
decided to do a repair install. Now halfway through the repair install it is
wanting to open rundll32.exe and brings up the file association box wanting
me to choose a program to open it with, which doesn't work. I have no idea
what to do.

Try clicking Start then Run and type in cmd.exe and then press the Enter
key. Put your XP installation CD into the CD drive (if you have more than
one then you might have to try it in all of them). Wait at least 60 seconds
for the XP installation menu to appear, if it does then simply close it.

In the cmd box, now type:
sfc /purgecache
sfc /scannow
exit

Wait for sfc to finish, it might take quite a while. If you have the CD in
the wrong drive then it will prompt for it. If you have a borrowed CD then
it must be of the same type (Home or Pro) and of the same version (probably
SP1) that was used during the intial install of Windows XP.

After sfc is done, you will need to re-apply any available updates from the
Microsoft website (on IE, click Tools and then Windows Update). Before you
do updates you should and in this order (1) be sure any malware or spyware
or virus has been eliminated, see the microsoft.public.security.virus
newsgroup for info on the recommended utilities to use and how to use them,
then (2) turn off System Restore and then immediately turn it back on, this
will clear any malware that might be in that special folder that malware
corrective utilities can not remove items from. Before doing the updates but
after being sure all malware is eliminated, you might want to try another
"upgrade" reinstallation of XP just to make sure everything is ok. The
Windows Update part is required, though.