.exe file malfunction

[karo]

My desktop icons (the shortcuts) have mysteriously developed .lnk
extensions (in place of .exe I think), meaning that none of them work.
I thought this was a virus, but have been able to find no information
about it. Going into Explorer and trying to double click on the .exe
files that my desktop shortcuts refer to doesn't work either, since
nothing happens. In searching discussion groups, I kept coming across
a exefix.reg file suggestion from Kelly's Corner, as well as a
xp_exe_fix.zip file, either of which seems designed to correct this
issue. The instructions say to save the reg file to the hard drive,
then double click and accept the "import prompt." When I double-click
on any either of the .reg files, I get a message saying that Windows
can't identify the filetype. Any suggestions? btw: I've tried running
virus scans and can find nothing. I can't run any programs (including
Norton SystemWorks) because they don't function. Any help is greatly
appreciated!

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Hi Karo,

Rename the Regedit.exe to Regedit.com and run the fix as follows:

Click Start | Run | type "regedit.com <path>\filename.reg"


Manual Procedure to reset the .exe file assocation:
If the file association for .exe has changed automatically, this
behaviour is generally caused by viruses. One of which is Sircamm virus,
which modifies the .exe file association in registry. Reset the .exe file
assocation using any of these steps:

Click [Start] [Run] [Command]
Type the following and then press Enter after typing each one:

cd\windows
copy regedit.exe regedit.com
start regedit.com

Navigate to and select the following key:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command

Double-click the (Default) value in the right pane.
Delete the current value data, and then type: "%1" %*
(ie., type the following characters:
quote-percent-one-quote-space-percent-asterisk.)

Exit the Registry Editor and restart Windows.


--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


My desktop icons (the shortcuts) have mysteriously developed .lnk
extensions (in place of .exe I think), meaning that none of them work.
I thought this was a virus, but have been able to find no information
about it. Going into Explorer and trying to double click on the .exe
files that my desktop shortcuts refer to doesn't work either, since
nothing happens. In searching discussion groups, I kept coming across
a exefix.reg file suggestion from Kelly's Corner, as well as a
xp_exe_fix.zip file, either of which seems designed to correct this
issue. The instructions say to save the reg file to the hard drive,
then double click and accept the "import prompt." When I double-click
on any either of the .reg files, I get a message saying that Windows
can't identify the filetype. Any suggestions? btw: I've tried running
virus scans and can find nothing. I can't run any programs (including
Norton SystemWorks) because they don't function. Any help is greatly
appreciated!

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Shortcuts are LNK files. They are simply pointers to the actual file.

Try the following. Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT.EXE If it opens
without error, then click File, Import, and point it to the REG file you
downloaded. However, if REGEDIT.EXE opens, then its probably your LNK file
associations that are damaged. Both REG files can be downloaded from:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_exe_fix.reg
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_linkfile_fix.reg

If REGEDIT.EXE won't run, open Windows Explorer and go to the Windows
folder. Locate REGEDIT.EXE and rename it to REGEDIT.COM

 

[Sharon F]

My desktop icons (the shortcuts) have mysteriously developed .lnk
extensions (in place of .exe I think), meaning that none of them work.
I thought this was a virus, but have been able to find no information
about it. Going into Explorer and trying to double click on the .exe
files that my desktop shortcuts refer to doesn't work either, since
nothing happens. In searching discussion groups, I kept coming across
a exefix.reg file suggestion from Kelly's Corner, as well as a
xp_exe_fix.zip file, either of which seems designed to correct this
issue. The instructions say to save the reg file to the hard drive,
then double click and accept the "import prompt." When I double-click
on any either of the .reg files, I get a message saying that Windows
can't identify the filetype. Any suggestions? btw: I've tried running
virus scans and can find nothing. I can't run any programs (including
Norton SystemWorks) because they don't function. Any help is greatly
appreciated!

The normal extension for shortcut files is .LNK Shortcuts can be made to
point to EXE files but their own extension is still .LNK

To stop the display of the extension, use Folder Options> View and check
the box to hide known file extensions.

Others have already addressed the *.EXE portions of your question.

 

[Alex Nichol]

My desktop icons (the shortcuts) have mysteriously developed .lnk
extensions (in place of .exe I think), meaning that none of them work.
I thought this was a virus, but have been able to find no information
about it. Going into Explorer and trying to double click on the .exe
files that my desktop shortcuts refer to doesn't work either, since
nothing happens. In searching discussion groups, I kept coming across
a exefix.reg file suggestion from Kelly's Corner, as well as a
xp_exe_fix.zip file, either of which seems designed to correct this
issue.

A shortcut has extension .lnk for the shortcut file itself. These are
normally hidden so as to look tidy.

It looks as if you have a major damage to file associations in the
registry - for .exe and .reg as well. I think the best thing to do in
this case - at least as first attempt - is to do a System restore to a
point made before things went wrong. If you go to Start - Run and type
in
C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
and OK, that should launch system restore. Take Restore to an earlier
time, and from the calendar choose a day (in bold so it has a point)
before things went wrong. Select a point made then

 

[karo]

My endless gratitude to all in the thread above: Ramesh, Doug, Sharon,
and Alex. In the interest of potentially helping someone else, I
attach a brief description of what cured the problem. Having renamed
regedit.exe to regedit.com, I followed the procedure prescribed by
Ramesh, during which I discovered there was indeed no "value" listed
for the indicated registry key. I entered the necessary characters,
but after rebooting the problem remained. As noted, I had already
tried before posting here to use the two Doug Knox files for exe and
lnk restoration, but since reg.edit wouldn't function, there was no
way to import them. With regedit.com giving me access to the registry,
I now was able to import and run both, and between the two they
corrected the problems. I rebooted and everyone was back to normal.
Again, many, many thanks to each of you!

Karo

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Most welcome, Karo.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

~ Please reply to newsgroup ~


My endless gratitude to all in the thread above: Ramesh, Doug, Sharon,
and Alex. In the interest of potentially helping someone else, I
attach a brief description of what cured the problem. Having renamed
regedit.exe to regedit.com, I followed the procedure prescribed by
Ramesh, during which I discovered there was indeed no "value" listed
for the indicated registry key. I entered the necessary characters,
but after rebooting the problem remained. As noted, I had already
tried before posting here to use the two Doug Knox files for exe and
lnk restoration, but since reg.edit wouldn't function, there was no
way to import them. With regedit.com giving me access to the registry,
I now was able to import and run both, and between the two they
corrected the problems. I rebooted and everyone was back to normal.
Again, many, many thanks to each of you!

Karo

 

[Sharon F]

My endless gratitude to all in the thread above: Ramesh, Doug, Sharon,
and Alex. In the interest of potentially helping someone else, I
attach a brief description of what cured the problem. Having renamed
regedit.exe to regedit.com, I followed the procedure prescribed by
Ramesh, during which I discovered there was indeed no "value" listed
for the indicated registry key. I entered the necessary characters,
but after rebooting the problem remained. As noted, I had already
tried before posting here to use the two Doug Knox files for exe and
lnk restoration, but since reg.edit wouldn't function, there was no
way to import them. With regedit.com giving me access to the registry,
I now was able to import and run both, and between the two they
corrected the problems. I rebooted and everyone was back to normal.
Again, many, many thanks to each of you!

Karo, I'm glad to hear that you have this fixed and thanks for sharing the
procedure that you used to accomplish this.

I have a few extra thoughts I would like to add:

** Damage to EXE files such as you experienced and the loss of a tool like
regedit.exe are very strong pointers to virus, trojan or worm infection.
Be sure to run a full system scan with an up to date antivirus program to
be certain that your system is clean.

**Many of these things will block the running of MSCONFIG, Task Manager and
the Registry Editor -thus making the removal of the intrusion more difficult.
Since the system tools are blocked by name, renaming their executables is a
workaround. Example: Rename regedit.exe to regedit.com

Or you can run the tool created by MVP Doug Knox that creates a "backup
set" of those three programs for you:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_emerutils.htm

Again, congratulations on the success of your troubleshooting. I'm glad all
is working well again.