File association error when I try to open ANY program.

[Guest]

Windows XP Professional with Sevice Pack 2
When I try to open ANY program on my computer for example Zone Alarm, Divx
Player etc nothing opens. The error message in exact words is as follows:

"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this
action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel."

Even when I try and open Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel nothing
opens.
How can I open these programs?

 

[Rock]

Windows XP Professional with Sevice Pack 2
When I try to open ANY program on my computer for example Zone Alarm, Divx
Player etc nothing opens. The error message in exact words is as follows:

"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this
action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel."

Even when I try and open Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel nothing
opens.
How can I open these programs?

Try the file association fixes on Doug Knox' site,
http://www.dougknox.com/, WIn XP Fixes, File Association Fixes. Run the
EXE, COM, BAT and CPL fixes to start.

Have you done a thorough scan of the system for malware? See these links:

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Richard Harper’s Guide to Cleaning Pests
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm

 

[Guest]

I downloaded the File Association Fixes that you recomended but then when I
opened them I got the same File Association error message as before.

As far as the malware sacn is concerned I have Lavasoft Ad-Aware on my
computer which does not open (I get the same error message as above) and I
tried the CWShredder from the site: http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm however
the shreder does not run again due to the File Association error.

 

[Malke]

I downloaded the File Association Fixes that you recomended but then
when I opened them I got the same File Association error message as
before.

As far as the malware sacn is concerned I have Lavasoft Ad-Aware on my
computer which does not open (I get the same error message as above)
and I tried the CWShredder from the site:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm however the shreder does not run again
due to the File Association error.

Neither Ad-aware nor CWShredder are antivirus programs. What antivirus
program do you have installed? It sounds like a virus or other malware
has damaged the file association if the fix you downloaded does not
work. The computer will need to be cleaned and you will need to be able
to get to regedit to make some changes. If you cannot run regedit.exe,
you may be able to run regedit.com. If not, then unless you have a high
degree of skill in repairing malware damage and some third-party
software, your best course of action will be to take the machine to a
computer professional (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).

If you *are* able to run regedit.com, then start by looking here:

Use Registry Editor to change the (Default) string value in the
following registry keys to "%1" %* (with quotation marks):

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command\

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Exefile\Shell\Open\Command

The value that appears before the proper string will be the name of the
malware.

Malke

 

[Rock]

I downloaded the File Association Fixes that you recomended but then when I
opened them I got the same File Association error message as before.

As far as the malware sacn is concerned I have Lavasoft Ad-Aware on my
computer which does not open (I get the same error message as above) and I
tried the CWShredder from the site: http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm however
the shreder does not run again due to the File Association error.

Have you tried to do the anti-virus and spyware scans in safe mode or
run the fixes in safe mode? Your best bet might be to take the system
to a professional to have them clean it, or do a clean install and
restore programs from original media and data from backups. Hopefully
you do have full and complete backups.

 

[Peter Foldes]

When I try to open ANY program on my computer for example Zone
It sure sounds like you somehow removed the *.exe of some of these programs. Did you run a Registry Cleaner of some sort of cleaner or removed some reg lines in the registry