EXE.files will not start

[Tom]

Hi
Windows XP Pro.
This a friends computer and I dont have much info.

all exe and lnk files seem to be not associated to anything

All program icons show up as a page file with the corner turned down.

even some control panel items wont work and restore will not start.
I have ran a virus scan from a bootable disk and none were found.

trying to run disk cleanup a window comes up saying that can not locate
program. also right clicks will not work on some items such as my
computer but it will work on the c: drive inside my computer

any help would be appreciated

Thanks ... Tom

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Windows® XP File Association Fixes
Copyright 2003 - Doug Knox
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

Read the instructions.

EXE File Association Fix (Restore default association for EXE files)

LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut Behavior)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Dan Wenz]

Windows® XP File Association Fixes
Copyright 2003 - Doug Knox
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

Read the instructions.

EXE File Association Fix (Restore default association for EXE files)

LNK (Shortcut) File Association Fix (Restores Default Shortcut Behavior)

My first post doesn't appear to have been sent per a posting error
message I received from Comcast, so another try.

Interestingly, I've the same problem, also .lnk showing up on all
shortcuts, although that suffix is normally hidden, which happened right
after I installed Lavasoft's Ad-Watch :-( I'd been using their Ad-Aware
for over a year, and had never used Ad-Watch, which I did have from the
original installation. Before coming onto this group I had been
"Googling" for the last couple of days, and did find at least one other
gent who had the same problem with Ad-Watch! I had also found and tried
the above fix given above, being careful as required to be sure, using
notepad, that no changes in the given format were made. The fixes
haven't worked (Yet), but I'll give them another try until I get further
immersed in this problem. Suffice to say, I uninstalled Lavasoft's
software until I get a handle on the problem

So far, the only way I can access an executable is to go to a Dos box
and change .exe to .com, thanks to Googling answers, but that's pretty
kludgy, so any help appreciated. Thank heavens I have a second computer
connected via a lan, since the "master" computer won't until I clearup
my problem.

Finally, I did buy a humongous $40 reference manual, finally, to use as
a reference, still browsing it. I also took a look, using Folder Options
from the Control Panel, to look at file associations, which I know very
little about - I see none listed for .exe files, so no luck there. Back
to Google!

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Reboot, Dan.

When in doubt, reboot.

Quite a few registry changes require a reboot.

exe and lnk are not listed in Folder Properties | File Types

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Dan Wenz]

Reboot, Dan.

When in doubt, reboot.

Quite a few registry changes require a reboot.

exe and lnk are not listed in Folder Properties | File Types

Thanks, but I've lost track of the number of times I've rebooted during
the course of my quest! It continues.

 

[Tom]

I ended up reformatting and reinstalling windows.

I tried to fix it with windows disk---no fix

I tried to reset the exefile and .exe per microsoft website and every
time I rebooted it was blank again.

I did run panda antivirus from the disk and found no virsus.

I tried the exe and lnk fixes - it would fix the shortcuts until i
tried to use them or rebooted a couple times then back to nothing.

After doing the exe fix 1 time I did get restore to start but it said it
could not be restored to prev date

I do beleive ad watch was installed on this computer within last 2 weeks.

I hope things work out for you
Tom

 

[Dan Wenz]

I ended up reformatting and reinstalling windows.

I tried to fix it with windows disk---no fix

etc.

My major mistake was reinstalling XP - as I learned just now, after
finally managing to get to the restore screen, all previous restore
points were gone, I guess not surprisingly. My first move should have
been to go back to a previous restore point. Lesson learned. I had to
asociate the restore command to rstrui.exe in it's folder before it
would even work. Still searching.

 

[Dan Wenz]

Tom wrote:

I do beleive ad watch was installed on this computer within last 2 weeks.

I forgot to add, I sent a msg. to Lavasoft about the problem - maybe
they'll shed some light on the problem.

 

[Guest]

I have exactly the same problem - it all happen when adwatch popped up a
message that an attempt was being made to change a registry key. I blocked
it and switched the computer off. When I switched it back on again all
desktop icons replaced with little squares and no associations to .exe files,
..lnk files. Reg files won't run either. System will not restore to an
earlier date - tried several points but none will work. I can get into
regedit sometimes?? But don't know what to do when I get there as I can't
merge any fixes because nothing will execute.

I've done a lot of searching at various forums and plenty of peeps have had
this happen but not necessarily linked to adwatch it seems. Most have fixed
with a reinstallation repair but I don't have the disks to do that as my
puter came ready loaded and had no disks.

I found one guy who managed to rectify the problem by going to file types
and changing the association in there but I don't find EXE or LNK listed
there and don't know what or how I add/change anything??

Has adwatch/adaware come back with any ideas to fix??