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
    2010-02-02T15:29:14+00:00

    I have this problem too....I'll be waiting for an answer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-02T05:01:49+00:00

    To Miss Prasetha,

    I have tried both your links,an so far, (used the quick scan, because I don't ave the time for the full scan right now), I have had no problems. I also used the FixIt thing, restarted my computer, but everything was the same. I WOULD take a screenshot of what was happening, but my snipping tool won't work, and when I pess Print Screen (Prt Scr), I can't copy and paste it into Paint or Microsoft Word, as it would not let me open the program. And, I can now acces the internet now but I have to do the following steps:

    1. Press IE

    2. A prompt pops up telling me to select which program to open this file with.

    1. I choose Internet Explorer as the program to open the program Internet Explorer with
    2. I can access the internet.

    However, in order to make a new tab or window, I have to repeat those steps again. I am glad I can now use the internet, but I also need to access Microsoft Word and my other programs, too.

    Will be Waiting.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-02T01:11:53+00:00

    Hi Pixel Lite,

    First of all you may try to run an online Security Scan to check whether the system is running fine.

    You may refer the following link and  perform the online scan on your computer to check whether your computer is been infected by any virus or not.

    http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.html

    You may also refer the following link and try running the Fixit to resolve the issue.

    When you run an .exe file on a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer, the file may start a different program

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505

    Hope this information is helpful.

    Praseetha K

    Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

    Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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