.exe files extension not working

  • Thread starter Thread starter James Maye
  • Start date Start date
J

James Maye

Hi,
When I start up XP all my programs that open at start up
just display the "windows cannot open this file" box and
on my desktop and in start menu all of my programs just
show the generic symbol for a program file. I have
antivirus, spyware, and firewall but cannot use them
since they are .exe. This just happen I have no idea what
has happen. I tried several system restores but nothing
changes.
Thanks for any help.

James Maye
 
James,

As you're able to launch System Restore, I believe the problem is not with
..exe association, but may be with .lnk (shortcuts) association:

Here you go for the .lnk File association fix - From Doug Knox's site:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

You can also find the .exe association fix from the above site. To apply the
..exe association fix, you'll have to rename Regedit.exe to Regedit.com in
order to merge the REG file.

Or, use the RUNAS command to launch System Restore or Registry Editor
(or whatever EXE file).

-or-

To access the Registry and make the changes directly:

Click Start, Run and type COMMAND (not CMD). Then, type:

RUNAS /USER:Administrator c:\windows\regedit.exe
(Type-in the built-in Administrator account password and the program will
launch in Admin credentials)

Remember that typing these commands from Start/Run won't help. You need to
open a Command Prompt (has to be Command.com and not CMD.exe)

More Information: http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/exefile.htm

--
Ramesh, MS-MVP XP Shell/UI
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k


Hi,
When I start up XP all my programs that open at start up
just display the "windows cannot open this file" box and
on my desktop and in start menu all of my programs just
show the generic symbol for a program file. I have
antivirus, spyware, and firewall but cannot use them
since they are .exe. This just happen I have no idea what
has happen. I tried several system restores but nothing
changes.
Thanks for any help.

James Maye
 
Ramesh,

Thank you for the reply on my problem,I should have
mention that the only way I got in to System restore is
by going in to safe mode and clicking on the cancel
button on the dialog box that explains that you are now
in safe mode and if you want to use System restore click
cancel. The only way I can get Internet Explorer to open
to write to this newsgroup is to click on the
option "use the Web service to find the appropriate
program" I've tried the solutions you recommended, when
I download the fixes and they just open up as the same
generic icons when you click on them it just the same
dialog box of "windows can not open this file". Also
tried the going to the registry and that has not help
either.
Any other ideas would be of great help.

Thank you,
James Maye
 
James,

Thanks for the feedback. Unzip the downloaded file (possibly from another
system) and transfer it to your computer. Optn Regedit the way I mentioned,
and then use the File, Import option to merge the REG file.

--
Ramesh, MS-MVP XP Shell/UI
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k


Ramesh,

Thank you for the reply on my problem,I should have
mention that the only way I got in to System restore is
by going in to safe mode and clicking on the cancel
button on the dialog box that explains that you are now
in safe mode and if you want to use System restore click
cancel. The only way I can get Internet Explorer to open
to write to this newsgroup is to click on the
option "use the Web service to find the appropriate
program" I've tried the solutions you recommended, when
I download the fixes and they just open up as the same
generic icons when you click on them it just the same
dialog box of "windows can not open this file". Also
tried the going to the registry and that has not help
either.
Any other ideas would be of great help.

Thank you,
James Maye
 
Exactly the same thing happened to my system lastnight. No programs
are running except internet explorer and outlook. I have xp pro sp2
and like James I also have antivirus, spyware, adware and firewall
but, nothing works. Does anybody knows what happened here, I don't
mind doing a reinstall just wanted to know what could have caused the
programs not to work.
Any explanation is very much appreciated, thanks in advance.

Emile
 
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