Vista doesn't recognize programs as executable anymore

A

Alexander

Good morning!
"All of a sudden" (that is, I am not aware of any specific action that
caused this - probably after shutting down due to low battery while
running winamp and 7zip),

Vista business replaced program icons at the desktop and in the
taskbar/Systray (the place where you put program icons) with icons of
7zip, a free packer.

Klicking on these icons opened their folder with 7zip.
After deinstalling 7zip, Vista now asks "which program to use to open
this file" when i click on these icons. There are no programs to choose
from, but you can search for these programs (lower right button) so that
you can repopulate this window by hand one by one with some programs.

This does not work for some programs (eg regedit, which initiates the
childproof "continue" dialog but doesn't show up. System recovery
doesn't work either, i get access only by booting to F8/repair
computer). Some Control center (?, "Systemsteuerung" in German) programs
don't react neither.

Those programs which kept their proper icon, result in "program not
found" while the dialog box shows the correct path to the still existing
exe-file.

My path variable:
C:\Windows\system32>path
PATH=C:\Program Files\PC
ConnectivitySolution\;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Program
Files\NTRU Cryptosystems\NTRU TCG Software
Stack\bin\;C:\ProgramFiles\Wave Systems Corp\Dell Preboot Manager\Access
Client\v5\;C:\Program Files\Common
Files\RoxioShared\DLLShared\;C:\Program Files\QuickT
ime\QTSystem\

System recovery desn't help as there are no "recovery data"
("Wiederherstellungspunkte") available. Did I turn this feature off
initially? Stupid me.

I read something about a registry entry enabling "open" for exe files
missing in a similar situation - but I first need a replacement for
regedit...

Thanks for reading so far. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards
Alexander
 
A

Alexander

The usual way to restore the exe function is to make a REG file.
Copy and paste these 4 lines into a blank text document:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"
"IsolatedCommand"="\"%1\" %*"


Save the document, change extension from TXT to REG, right-click and 'Merge'.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. I managed to perform this, but it didn't change anything.
Are there any larger chunks of the registry to import? (preferably as a
text file :( )?
Is there any way to restore/replace regedit?

In the meantime, just before reading your post, things went further down
the drain: I tried Regseeker, but after complaining about not beeing
able to perform my changes (Icon size, to tryout), windows explorer now
immediately closes himself after opening. Therefore, I have to
manipulate files via firefox. Manipulation in the user directory appears
to work..

Alexander
 
A

Alexander

Not sure what you mean by " restore/replace regedit" ?
Is it missing?
Maybe you have a virus or some sort of malware.
Click to expand...

I can't open regedit (clicking on ...\regedit.exe opens "choose the
program you want this file to be opened with", searcing and selecting
regedit doesn't let me finish the dialog (clicking ok doesn't cause a
reaction) and therefore I wanted to install a program with similar
functions.

Now I created a new user as administrator. Under tis haccount all
programs work as expected...except windows explorer, which can be opened
only from the startmenue/computer, not with win-e.

The shellexe/open registry entries you gave me are present if viewed
with regedit from the new account. Is there a way to check/fix the
registry from there?

Alexander
 
A

Alexander

I don't understand why only regedit.exe won't open.
It's not only regedit, but some other programs from the control center too.
If other exe files open by double-clicking them then
tahere is something wrong with the file's extension.
Click to expand...

There are groups of exe files behave differently
A. those with their icon intact:
"cannot find c:\correct_path\correct_program.exe" while the program is
visible with windows explorer
B. those who lost their icon:
"choose the program you want this file to open with", which opens a
selection. There, I can eg. locate some .exe file and try to run the
..exe with the (now defunct) program file i clicked on. This works for
most of the programs except C. below
C. some, like regedit, mouse control center and some more:
after selecting them like in B, I cannot finish the "chose program with
wich you want to open this file"-dialog, it appears simply not to accept
my choice
However, I have built a BartPE boot disk image with a registry editor included.
It is a 70 meg iso image. If you want to work on the registry without starting Vista this will do it.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. Is there a difference between looking at and editing the
registry from a second administrator account like I do it now and doing
it from the bart-CD?

First of all, I need to understand which key to modify.
Here are the results of a regedit search for "exefile".ch would make
sense to copy from one user to another.

Thanks for the support!

Alexander


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"
"IsolatedCommand"="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithProgids]
"exefile"=hex(0):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.exe]
@="exefile"
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.exe\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\open]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"
"IsolatedCommand"="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-thats_my_original_corrupted_admin_user-1000\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithProgids]
"exefile"=hex(0):


[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-thats_my_new_barely_corrupted_admin_user-1004\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithProgids]
"exefile"=hex(0):
 
A

Alexander

Dave said:
If you are not sure of the registry keys you want to alter you could totally wreck the system.
It may be quicker to re-install Vista if you cannot do a restore, unless anyone else has any ideas.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the warning. I learned a lot today: Are 'recovery points'
operational? Do I have a registry backup? Do I have a system partition
backup of any kind? It is my fault that I started working with the new
vista machine instead of doing all this in the first place.

<offtopic>
I use different Windows for the plethora of mostly very good and
sometimes even unique programs.
However, since I saw how one can transfer 80-90% of programs and user
customizations from one mac to another by simply transferring three(!)
folders, I got melancholic.
I'd like to use the computer to get work done without having to struggle
with the infrastructure.

Unfortunately, OSX doesn't run on my laptop.
</offtopic>

Alexander
 
A

Alexander

Cameron said:
Seems you've scrambled your .exe file association. Maybe this site will
help you sort it out before you scramble it any further.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That worked finally. Now programs open and behave properly,
and missing tools like regedit and some control panels are back again.
Perfect.

Most Icons are missing, but these are cosmetics.

Windows explorer still has a hickup, it closes immediately after
opening, but I can get around by chosing the file from an icon at the
taskbar. This works for now.

Alexander
 
P

Peter K. Livingston

I experienced exctly the same trouble. It happened to me after I tried to
look into an .exe file headers by using Notepad - ie. I rightclicked it ->
"Open with..." and in the panel I selected Notepad without noticing that a
tick box "Open always using this program" is checked.
From that time any .exe could not be opened (incl.the poor notepad.exe I
assigned to the .exe files) always announcing sthg like "Program cannot be
found" or Cannot open the file" etc.
I succeded to repair the accident by restarting WinVista in command line
mode, opening regedit, searching for "notepad" (there is huge number of them)
and finally I found CustomAssigned key which assigned notepad to .exe files.

Later I found out, that this is not accidential that this problem happens
(my colleague had the same) as very often (I don't know any rule) the check
box "Open always using this program" in my WinVista Business Built 6000 is
greyed and can't be unchecked!!!

If there is anyone fm Microsoft erading this discussion stream, please
advice how to report this problem.
It would be great if Microsoft could also add a verification OK/Cancel
before an assignement is changed for these kind of critical file
extensions(definitely .exe, maybe some more)

Peter K. Livingston
 

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