Windows XP Everything, EVERYTHING is a .lnk

[mrmatt]

Hi
I am REALLY hoping you can help solve a problem that my old but very faithful WIN98 OS is expericening.

I think it started when I was doing a registry cleaning via a program that was for WIN09. Maybe the program was a virus

After running it, every single program is now a .lnk file. Everything on my desktop is a .lnk except MSN and IE
All microsoft office applications, all antivirus programs, all game programs, etc.
I thought of just wiping out the hardrive and using the discs to reformat, but the drives must be a program, as the computer cannot activiate them.
When I try to download a program to help, the program cannot run as it becomes a .lnk ( I guess as when I try to run it the computer asks for what program is to use to run it, and there is nothing to run it. - this is the same for all programs.)

I went into Safe Mode and tried to reload the registry but that did not work, neither did the win98 registry repair.

So I am stuck.

How can I get my programs working again?

Again strangely enough, I can use MSN email and IE


Thanks so much!

MrMatt

 

[floppybootstomp]

I just posted this over at your introductory post, unfortunately it's for XP

Try this fix: LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix

It's about halfway down the list.

Download the file, double click to execute, reboot.

It worked for me, let us know how you get on.

PS: Not sure what OS you're using, but this one is for XP.

Might be worth a shot....

 

[mrmatt]

Floppybootstomp ( great name!) thanks, but I think it has to be a 98 specific program, and whenever I download a file that needs to execute, it becomes a .lnk which I cant execute.

I think executable programs are being directed to .lnk-s

which I new more about this stuff!

I need to either dig into the system, or run a program from a site which does not require downloading. Once it downloads, it is useless

Thanks for trying, -


I welcome other ideas




Matt