EXE file problem

hello i have a really big problem... just installed windows xp professional and all of a sudden when i click of almost any exe or lnk file it comes up with windows cannot open this file and gives me the option of selecting a program from the list or searching the net. any body encounter this before and know how to fix it? help would be much appreciated.

thanks

 

Say what? Did you do a clean install of windows, or did you install over an existing version?

 

i did a quick format and installed windows, also it doesnt just seem to be just exe and lnk files all file types cant be opened

 

that did help kind of... but now it opens everything in adobe photoshop cs2

 

That's a wierd one. Try this, #12 on the left-hand side (EXE (lnk and regfile) Fix for Windows XP)

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt.

Steve

 

i installed windows after doing a quick format on the partition, so that should of got rid of any viruses right?

i tried that #12 solution but i dont know what program to open the file as....

thansk for your help so far

 

i found this on google http://windowsxp.mvps.org/exefile.htm, i managed to get regedit open so tried it, the first step was done the vale shown was "%1" %*

however the second step i had to find HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe

however it doesnt exist there is HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.ex_

and

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exp

but no HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe

could that be the cause of my problem?

 

i have just tried that and it comes up with the " open application with...."

so i searched for the sfc.exe and tried using that but it didnt do anything

i will try ther fixreg.com now


thanks

 

just tried the fixreg.com and hasnt done anything, a cmd window opened and closed very breifly but nothing else

 

ok i tried this again i clicked on the file and selected to open it with regedit.exe this seems to have made the exes function properly. how ever the file icon still remains as the winamp one.

 

I have only heard/read of that working, I wasn't really sure. You might try the steps in the article below and see if it changes the icons back.The article below refers to the .exe file association fix from Doug Knox here, http://www.dougknox.com/xp/fileassoc/xp_exe_fix.zip

When double clicking the xp_exe_fix.reg file, windows asks what to use to open it. Go to select from list, then browse and find C:\Windows\regedit.exe, select it and click ok, then double click xp_exe_fix.reg again and it'll ask you if you want to add the info to the registry. Click yes and reboot your computer. You should notice that by going Start->my computer->C:\ and opening any one of the folders, all of the programs appear normal again and will function correctly.

If your desktop icons still have the *.lnk extension, run the linkfile_fix.reg by double clicking it, then reboot again. make sure everything seems back to normal and your all done!

Good luck,

Steve

 

hey thanks very much that worked for the exe files and lnk files. however some programs like azureus and photoshop wont load so i went to remove them in add/remove programs but the remove button has dissappeard from there, also a program i havent seen before is there called "webfldrs" thanks for your help so far

 

1. Start > Run, type in appwiz.cpl and click OK (or press Enter). Now check your Add/Remove.


2. From Microsoft on "webfldrs":

You can uninstall it if you wish but I doubt it's causing any of your problems.

To uninstall go to START > RUN and enter this: msiexec /x C:\Windows\System32\webfldrs.msi

To install it again enter msiexec /i C:\Windows\System32\webfldrs.msi

Let us know.

Steve

 

i tried typing appwiz.cpl in how ever i got an error message saying "appwiz.cpl is not a valid win32 application"

 

Start > Run: regsvr32 appwiz.cpl > ok

Steve

 

that got the following message "DllRegisterServer in appwiz.cpl succeeded" however the remove button is still missing, i tried typing "appwiz.cpl" but still is not a valid win32 application


thansk so far guys

 

OK. Is the Remove button missing or just greyed out?

Steve

 

its missing

 

right i think i may no why the remove button is not shown....

i have navigated the registry editor and come accros this

in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

there is a list of programs 2 which are ccleaner and hijackthis, now both of these i just installed and are the only ones to contain a remove button in add/remove programs

 

See what happens in safe mode.

Steve

 

If you get the same results in safe mode you might try #337 in the link below, it's on the right-hand side (Restore Change or Remove Programs).

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it and answer yes to the import prompt.

Steve