Can't Open .exe Files In Windows Vista

Hi,

I just opened this computer I bought quite a few years ago. It is an Acer Aspire that came with pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit. After downloading a few essential programs like winrar, chrome, firefox, itunes, ccleaner, vlc player, panda antivirus, etc. I realized I couldn't run or open any of these programs. I went to microsoft online and found a page "Can't open .EXE files in Windows 7 or Windows Vista" and tried to follow the instructions to fix it.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2688326

I was able to follow the procedures up until #6: Browse to and then click on the following registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile

My registry editor does not show an exefile key.

I do not know what to do and cannot run or install anything with a .EXE

Please advise on how I can resolve this issue.
Thank you for your help. It is much appreciated!!

 

What exactly do you mean by

When was it last working, if at all, and is it the same Vista system you posted about 5 years ago here:
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/index....lize-0x80070006-the-handle-is-invalid.238609/

 

Hi Mr. Turner and thank you for the reply. This was a brand new Acer Aspire 4810T-8480 I bought sometime in 2011 as a spare to my old Gateway laptop. That old gateway laptop stopped working 2 days ago all of a sudden when I couldn't load Windows Vista during start up. I went and opened the Acer fresh out of the box for the very 1st time yesterday and started downloading all the windows updates I am missing + all the new browsers, flash updates, antivirus, winrar, winzip, adobe pdf reader etc. and this morning I started to install the programs and realized I couldn't run anything that was .EXE.

This is a pre-installed Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit that I am currently in the process of updating. It basically has no software installed other than the default manufacturer included package + Panda Security antivirus and Chrome, Firefox, ProcessExplorer, and the WebOfTrust toolbar. Other than that, I can't install anything with .EXE

 

Why don't you just use the inbuilt system recovery that will essentially reinstall Vista as new to factory settings.

 

It already is at factory settings but for some reason, it is missing HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile in the registry even after a reload.

 

You are not in factory settings (they are 'out of the box settings') or it would work. You will still need to use the recovery mode (probably via safe mode) which should use a separate stored partition on the hard drive that is a recovery drive. Normally that system will have come with either a reinstall disc, a recovery drive or a one time burn of a recovery drive. If the system has never been out of the box, all that information is there. But clearly you have lost the one year guarantee.