OPEN ANY EXECUTABLE - SAME PROGRAM OPENS

[Don Cossitt]

I have a small open source query editor I downloaded to my desktop and have
been using for over a year. I got tired of having to clear my desktop to
access the icon to open this program. So, I drag and drop the desktop Icon
to the Start icon on the task bar and dropped it in the menu like I have
many times with other programs.

Now no matter what executable ( exe, bat, com, etc ) I attempt to run either
from Programs or Windows Explorer, the query editor opens. I removed the
icon from the Start menu but didn't change anything. I have rebooted, etc -
no change

Running Windows v 5.1 build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 : Service Pack 2

Additional note: This is on a Toshiba Satellite laptop that came with VISTA
OS which was removed and replaced with XP PRO

Any ideas?

TIA

 

[John John (MVP)]

System Restore to a point before you moved the icon.

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

OK, Care to ellaborate?

System Restore to a point before you moved the icon.

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

Trying to access the Help and Support opens the query editor as well...

I guess its Nuke and Pave time...

 

[John John (MVP)]

Roll back the machine to an earlier state. To start System Restore
enter the following in the Start Menu Run box:

%SystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

Thanks John.

I really am beginning to think I am screwed cause the Run command opens the
query tool as well. As does RegEdit. Anyway as I have studied system restore
it requires a restore point which in this case would be when XP was
installed - probably.



I really would like to have an opinion on what happened to cause the problem
to begin with?

 

[John John (MVP)]

Try uninstalling that query tool program and see what happens. Unless
you changed default options System Restore would have regularly made
restore points. I think the the query tool may have taken the .exe or
all the file associations, see if Doug Knox's EXE File Association Fix
can fix the .exe for you. http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

I will try the tool. I did unload the query tool. Now 'Application Not
Found' error comes when trying to instance executables.

Thanks

 

[Don Cossitt]

Tried the reg updates but nothing has changed - still persistently opening
the query tool exclusively

 

[John John (MVP)]

Can you get to the Commmand Prompt? What does the following command return?

assoc .exe

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

I can hack my way to cmd. But ALL instances of *.exe opens the query tool
even from cmd.

 

[Don Cossitt]

Ok, I managed to get assoc exe =exefile

Can you get to the Commmand Prompt? What does the following command
return?

assoc .exe

John

 

[John John (MVP)]

But when what does the command: ASSOC .exe return?

It should return: .exe=exefile

If it returns the above run the following:

ftype exefile

Ftype should return: exefile="%1" %*

Did you try uninstalling the query tool?

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

I got the results you show as well. exefile="%1" %*"

I did remove the query tool and now get 'Appliction Not Found' error.

 

[doco]

Interestingly, I log off my normal login and logged back on local machine
and everything works fine. So some deep-six issue in the registry somewhere
I haven't been able to find that is 'sharing' the query tool with all
executables - don't know...

Y'all have a good and safe weekend - I gotta catch a plane in two hours.
Too close.

 

[John John (MVP)]

How about if you boot to Safe-Mode, does anything work there? I'm
beginning to thing that this is going to be a "wipe & reinstall" job.

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

All works in safe mode. It is curious though that a simple drag and drop
process can affect the whole of the system. There has to be a reason. While
I too believe Nuke and Pave is the answer, it only deals with the symptom
not the problem. ARGH!

 

[John John (MVP)]

If it works fine in Safe-Mode but not in Normal boot then take a close
look at what is starting and running when you boot normally, there is
probably something there causing this problem, maybe you have a virus or
other malware, I find it strange that the problem remains even after you
uninstall the utility. You can post the list of running processes &
services and maybe someone will see something amiss in the lists. To
obtain the running processes see if you can successfully run the
following commands:

tasklist /svc >c:\Tlist.txt

net start >c:\Services.txt

Copy and paste the contents of the Tlist.txt & Services.txt here so we
can have a look at what is running.

Also, if things run fine in Safe-Mode you may be able to do a System
Restore to a point before the problem started, unless you disabled or
changed the SR options you should have restore points available.

John

 

[Don Cossitt]

Sorry for the long delay on this. I have been on vacation for about 10 days.
I have turned the laptop over to our IT guys and are currently working
feverishly to no avail. It's beginning to look more and more like Nuke and
Pave.

Thanks