Windows Vista Help! I accidentally associated all ".exe" files with Internet Explorer!!!!

[ss4444gogeta]

I'm not sure how it happened, I think I was a little drowsy while I was on the computer, and I was trying to open a certain .exe file. It asked me what I would like to open it with. So I clicked Adobe Reader 9.0, because I felt like clicking a random file, and I didn't have the software to open it anyway. It tries to open in Adobe Reader, but can't, because it's not supported or something. I close the screen and appear at my desktop, only to see that just about every single one of my icons has been changed to a .pdf file icon. I try going to the Internet using Internet Explorer, but that didn't work, instead it opened up Reader more than 150 times. Then I went back to that same file that I specified to open with Reader and instead changed it to Internet Explorer. Then all of my Desktop icons changed to Internet Explorer webpage icons. I was really confused, and as I tried clicking Internet Explorer, like before, 150+ windows opened up, all telling me to download some file (I'm guessing these are all of my .exe files). I thought I had a virus at first, so I tried opening Norton 360 to scan my computer for viruses, and as I clicked "Run for Scans" I was bombarded with more windows from Internet Explorer. I tried going into my default programs and setting them all back manually but that doesn't work either, because they're still for some reason associated with Internet Explorer. Is there any way that I can reverse this process? Apparently the default protocol to open up .exe files with is Internet Explorer for me. Only a few of my programs do not cause Internet Explorer to be opened repeatedly, like QuickTime Player and Windows Explorer (like opening up folders, My Computer, etc.) probably because it isn't an .exe file that opens it. I really don't know what to do. I put a lot of my files on an external hard drive but I don't want to reset my computer because I don't have my Windows Vista disc anymore (not sure where it is) and I'm dual-booting my desktop with Mandrive Linux Spring 2009, as well, and I don't want to go through the hassle of re-installing my operating systems and all the software that was put on my computer like games, music players, various Internet browsers, Microsoft Office, etc. If someone could please help me, that would be greatly appreciated. I don't have the money to take my computer into Best Buy or something like that and I really don't want to waste it if I get any if it's just a problem I could fix at home. I'm not in any rush to fix my computer, even though my winter break is coming up soon, but if I could get it working by next week that would be great! Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[nivrip]

Can you get into System Restore and take everything back a few days. That may solve the problem.

 

[ss4444gogeta]

I was told to try System Restore, so I did, and it opened up Internet Explorer, just like anything else. :/

 

[Ian]

I'd try and find your Vista disk, as you can fix it from there very easily using system restore.

Actually, are you able to boot in to safe mode (F6 on startup) as that will prompt you to load System Restore automatically (and may not be affected by the exe problem).

If that fails, you could try this running the exe registry fix on this page:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html

 

[ss4444gogeta]

Yes, it worked! Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. I didn't think it was that easy of a fix. But really, I am so grateful. Thank you.

 

[Ian]

No problem, glad it fixed the problem for you

 

[ss4444gogeta]

Now the only problem (well I wouldn't really call it a problem, more of just an aesthetics thing) is that all of the programs that were changed still have their "Internet Explorer webpage" icon. If I go to an icon like Mozilla Firefox, and try to change the icon, it's not in there. Should I just redownload it?