Serious problem with windows Xp all shortcuts and exe files will not function

[GodHelp me]

ok this is really wierd none of the short cuts work and even trying to start
an application directly brings up an error like the computer doesn't know what
to do with this file.... windows is completely unusable. Is there anything
that can be done short of a reinstall? I can not even bring up the system
restore feature.

System is a newer gateway running windows XP home (I saw this once before on
a windows XP Pro box and all they could do was reformat)

there has to be a better way to restore this without reloading

please help

 

[Wesley Vogel]

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

Read the instructions.

Sounds like you may need these two fixes.

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

 

[GodHelp me]

Thanks I thought of that too and copied the registry keys from another
machine.
I had to do it in safe mode Regedit wont work in normal mode.
and while the icons are all back programs still wont run. and I still can not
get to the system restore.
I am having the user bring the original system disks as a last resort
I am also thinking I may copy the entire HKey_Classes_Root from a similar
system but I doubt that will fix it (probably make it worse)

 

[Wesley Vogel]

[[NOTE: If your EXE file associations are corrupted, it can be difficult to
open REGEDIT, or to even import REG files. To work around this, press
CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task Manager. Once there, click File, then hold down
the CTRL key and click New Task (Run). This will open a Command Prompt
window. Enter REGEDIT.EXE and press Enter.
Thanks to Nigel Andrews for this tip.]]
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[GodHelp me]

Ok get this... inporting registry keys did not work... and reinstalling over
the top of the old OS did not work either(it has not finished but at various
points it asked me during the install what program to use to opeb
Runndll32.exe)

So it looks like a reformat is my only option

[[NOTE: If your EXE file associations are corrupted, it can be difficult to
open REGEDIT, or to even import REG files. To work around this, press
CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task Manager. Once there, click File, then hold down
the CTRL key and click New Task (Run). This will open a Command Prompt
window. Enter REGEDIT.EXE and press Enter.
Thanks to Nigel Andrews for this tip.]]
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks I thought of that too and copied the registry keys from another
machine.
I had to do it in safe mode Regedit wont work in normal mode.
and while the icons are all back programs still wont run. and I still
can not get to the system restore.
I am having the user bring the original system disks as a last resort
I am also thinking I may copy the entire HKey_Classes_Root from a similar
system but I doubt that will fix it (probably make it worse)