Unable to run executibles

[Kate]

Windows 2000 laptop issues an error message every time an
executible is run. The message simply states that an
error has been generated and the program will have to be
restarted.

Any ideas?

 

[Smile Extender]

You should first check for viruses. They can cause problems like yours.

Your problem sounds like registry related problem if you get that error for
every executable. Can you start any program from command prompt, for example
notepad.exe? You could check your registry settings. I hope you can start
regedit.exe from command prompt or from start -> run. If you can check that
registry key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe has default value "exefile". Then find
key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command. It should have default
value ""%1" %*".