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
    2010-11-06T08:04:14+00:00

    this didn't help me out because after i followed these steps and restarted my pc everything that had exe even google chrome and mozilla fireforx control panel,computer documents. So i left the computer for a day went back on same thing so i went on another pc and download this program that would fix it and it did, so thanks for giving help that can nearly ruin you pc. :(

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-09-06T01:24:41+00:00

    So i have tried this and upon submitting the regedit it aske me what program to open with now what i still can't fix cuz it wants me to choose a program to run theregedit Please help someone

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-29T17:27:16+00:00

    JimboUS,

    I was having a problem similar to others here.  I could not open the command prompt window.  Apparently doing so requires the use of .exe program.  Could not open Notepad for the same reason.  A window opened asking what program should be used to run the .exe file Notepad opened with.

    So I returned to the http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html link you provided above and followed the directions.

    VOILA!  Executables now run.  Scans with McAfee and Ad-Aware had previously caught and removed what were described as Trojans, and operation of the computer seemed normal except for not being able to run 90% of the programs.  Windows Explorer wouldn't open, so navigating anywhere was impossible.  Plus, now I can get to the command prompt.

    After 2 weeks of kicking myself for being stupid enough to get infected, I'm beginning to smile again.

    Thanks!!!

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