Unable to open .exe files

Anonymous
2010-02-01T02:00:45+00:00

Vista won't load .exe files! And more problems...

Ok, so all of a sudden, my computer goes berserk and I get all these pop-ups and messages saying that my computer is infected. Then it continues to say that I can't use the computer unless I delete the Trojans. I press the Remove Virus button and it takes me to a page on IE that says I have to pay for this Windows Vista Security package to remove the viruses. I ignore that, and proceed to download Avast! the great free anti-virus program that so many people have told me about.

Well, I tried to open Avast! but Windows kept saying that that file was infected. So I shut down several times, and I still had the problem. So I gave up, went to bed, hoping that the problem would be fixed tomorrow.

Next day: I opened Windows, and I didn't have any of those pop-ups. But, I couldn't open ANYTHING. I tried to open Firefox, and something popped up saying something like "Windows cannot find the correct program to open firefox.exe, choose a program from the list" and all that was on the list was Internet Explorer.

When I tried to open Microsoft Word, it said that it couldn't find the correct program, and told me to choose frmo the listed programs, which was just Internet Explorer.

Same thing happened with Google Chrome, Avast!, and Notepad.... All of them were prompting me to open them with a different kind of program.

Thing is, when I try to open IE itself, it prompts me to open it with the correct program-opener, and lists Internet explorer.

I didn't get those pop-ups, or messages telling me I had viruses anymore...

Please help, as soon as possible.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Apps

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Anonymous
2012-03-30T01:04:56+00:00

Hello Pixel Lite,

There was a KB article created to help fix this issue, the article has a Fix it to automate the steps.

See this KB article:

Can't open .EXE files in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

Hope this helps.

L.D.

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Anonymous
2010-02-04T09:10:54+00:00

So I just fixed mine, EXEs are loading correctly now. It was a few registry issues that just need to be changed.

  1. Type command in the RUN dialog box to open Command Prompt
  2. When Command Prompt is up, type cd \windows3. Type regedit to open up the Registries.

4. Expand HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and find the folder of .exe

  1. Without expanding it, on the main .exe folder, Right-click (Default) and Modify. Change the Value Data to exefile6. Now in the same HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT find the folder of exefile and Right-click (Default) and Modify. Change the Value Data to "%1" %*
  2. Lastly expand exefile, expand shell, expand open, click on the command folder, Right-click (Default) and Modify. Change the Value Data to "%1" %*
  3. Close Regedit and Restart the computer. When restarted, EXE files should not prompt you to choose a program to run it now and load correctly.

Hope this helps yall out!

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-03-08T23:50:09+00:00

    its at the very top of the left panel...

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-03-08T03:41:26+00:00

    Okay so I found a way around the step 3. 

    My Computer-->C Drive-->Windows-->find regedit and right click and choose Run as administrator.  That let me into it, and then you can follow the rest of lilvtboiraver's steps.  Whew.  It all appears to be back to normoal.  Thanks lilvtboiraver!!!

    This along with the original message from lilvtboiraver worked amazing and everything is up and running now!!!

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-03-06T21:25:42+00:00

    Hi,

    I think that you are missing my point.

    Read above posts for detailed info and only please reply if you have a valid solution, fix and something of practical help;

    Again my points;

    1 - this antivirus 2009 and security centre does not prompt or ask to install

    2 - it disables any active and running antivirus software plus internet security software in less than a few seconds

    3 - how it gets into the system is the key - this needs to be blocked via gpo edit or a microsoft system update.

    4 - this is like the old internet based worms and win32 style problems

    5 - once this gets in it overrides and blocks any attempt to eliminate it - so this is a system and security issue

    I never even got a popup which asked me anything - it must come through some sort of advert or active component of the web page to self install.

    Politely put I have thought about this - not to react is to let the thing get in.

    Though once it is in it is hard to remove and permanently block it.

    If you have not been infected on your pc with this thing then you won't understand.

    If you try to experience this on your own pc - you will understand what everyone above on the above posts has had to put up with.

    So rather than try and remove it every time I would prefer a more practical approach.

    Go on the offensive and deny it the chance to get in at all.

    "Best defense is a good offense", Field Marshall Rommel.

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