Cannot run .exe files

I have a Dell Inspiron 5150 running Windows XP Home with SP2. I noticed several IE popups and started the tutorial on removing spyware and trojans.

In the process all the shortcuts on my desktop now show up as _____.ink, i.e. they all have .ink tacked onto the end of the shortcut name. When I click on them, I get an error message

"Windows cannot open this file:" Then it lists the file as _____.ink and asks:
To open this file, Windows needs to know what program created it... What do you want to do?
Use the Web service to find the appropriate program
Select the program from a list

None of the quick launch buttons at the bottom will work either, such as ones I have created for Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.

I get no response when I try to run a program from Windows Explorer either. Example, I can start Windows Explorer from the desktop icon for My Computer or My Documents. After navigating to an .exe file such as LavaSoft's Ad-Aware.exe, I double click on it and nothing happens.

I started in the Windows safe mode and have to do the following:

The only way I have found to run .exe files is to:
1) select Start
2) Select Run
3) type in the name of the .exe file, such as Ad-Aware.exe
4) If it isn't found then use the browse button to find the file and double click on it.
5) I get the Windows can't open this file error message so I choose:
"Select the program from a list" and browse to the location of the Ad-Aware.exe file in the C:/Program Files/Lavasoft directory.

Then the program runs.

Also of note: When I start up in the safe mode, before the logon screen appears, I get a cryptic window, with two box symbols in the upper left corner where the name of the window should be, an X in the upper right corner where the close window button should be (doesn't work) and an OK button on the bottom of the window centered. Nothing happens when I click on the close window button. When I click on the OK button, the window closes and the login screen appears.

I appreciate any help in fixing this problem, I hope I have provided sufficient detail to allow some troubleshooting.

 

Honestly- Im completely stumped about the startup window thing your talking about. But in a 'glass 1/2 full' point of view, i have infact had your desktop problem before, and i actually lived with it for about 3 weeks until i finally gave up. Going to 'run' everytime i wanted anything got on my nerves. So i reformatted. I dont know if it was spyware or what but i was horrible. One thing you can try, that i didnt. Is study all the shortcuts and jot down the target program on a peice of paper. Then delete all the shortcuts on ya desktop, quicklaunch, and startmenu (if that needs it too.) Then add them back manually one-by-one. That should definitely work but will ultimately take you a good hour. If not, tell us and someone will tell you how to reformat if you need to know....if you dont already.

 

This has your answer (go to the last post) http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=55732

 

Thanks very much for your help, however I am still having a slight problem. Since it is a zip file that unzips to a linkfile.reg file, I don't know what program to use to run it.

I copied the zip file to the My Documents folder, then used WinZip to unzip it, but I can't get beyond that step because I don't what program to use to run the .reg file.

Thanks again.

 

it doesnt run when you double click it?

 

No, I get an error message:

"This file doesn't have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folders Option control panel."

 

go to control panel , folder options , file types tab , scroll down the list and see if you can find REG

 

forget what i just said

can you get to command prompt?

 

ironman: Cant he just goto start>>run>> and type in regedit.exe and click import? Thats what i do when i backup specific parts such as settings before i reinstall...if i cant 2x click and install that way....

 

go to command prompt, if it doesnt just show C:\ then type cd .. until you just see C:\


Now type cd windows

Type copy regedit.exe regedit.com

it should say 1 file copied

then type regedit.com

Now your regestry editor should open

Now click edit , Find , type exefile click find next

might take it a few minutes

when it finds something make sure its exefile in the list on the left and not in the window on the right

if it doesnt find it the first time press F3 to find next do this until you see exefile with a folder by it in the list on the left.

now click the + to expand exefile folder , expand shell folder , expand open folder , click on command folder.

Now in the window on the right double click (Default) delete the value data and type this quotes and all "%1" %* there is a space between the quote and percent after 1 now click ok

now scroll all the way to the top of the list

in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT there should be a list of file extensions scroll down them until you find .exe

when you find it doubleclick (Default) in the right window and change the value to exefile click ok and see if it worked

 

if he cant open exe files then he cant open regedit.exe

 

if what i said works then you shouldnt need the file you downloaded

 

I got to the command prompt by starting in safe mode with command prompt which allowed me to follow IrOnMaN's directions. Both the exefile and exe default values were blank so I entered the values as specified.

When I restarted the computer normally, all the quick launch and desktop icons were restored to normal, however I now get a popup window asking which program I want to use to run the application. I still couldn't run regedit from the Run command line.

So I restarted in safe mode with command prompt to check the registry. The .exe value is now exefile, and the exefile default value is Application. I checked that against my desktop computer running Windows XP Professional and it was the same value.

I have made an incremental improvement but not sure of where to go from here.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

After walking through your instructions again, and repeating them, the links have been restored. IrOnMaN, thanks again for all your help. I must have missed a step the first time I went through it.

I really appreciate your assistance after facing what looked to me like a fatal error.

Two questions:
1) when I use windows explorer to look at the folders, I notice that all the .exe files have a file type of "%1" %*. Will that correct itself after I use those files the next time?
2) I am still getting this very strange pop up window during the startup process before the logon screen. As I described earlier, the window is essentially blank with an ok button on the bottom. After selecting OK, the computer proceeds to the logon screen.

Again, thaks for all your help.