lost all file associations, no programs will run

My problem is similar to the one already posted on here called "file associations gone after antivirus update". I was updating my Norton antivirus subscription and upgraded to Norton 2006 (from 2002). In the middle of the installation, it encounted an error and told me to restart my computer. I did, and when it rebooted, suddenly none of my programs will run.

When I click on any program, I get the message "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel." No .exe or .zip program will run (so system restore won't work either).

It will run in Safe Mode with Networking. I was able to download the .reg fix from dougknox.com, and even able to unzip it, but it won't run. I don't know if I'm missing a step somewhere. I was also able to download and unzip the program suggested on this website, XPAssociate, but I can't get that to run either. I tried running system restore from a command prompt, but it would not run. I can get regedit to run by opening task manager (which does work) and holding cntrl and New Task at the same time.

How can I fix the registry or get my file associations back to normal? I can get to Control Panel, Folder Options, File Types, but it won't let me click on the buttons New, Delete, Change, or Advanced. The only file types listed are .edn, .itl, .itms, .secs, .xdp.

I do not want to have to wipe my hard drive. Gateway.com wants me to do a repair installation, but I'm worried that will wipe my hard drive.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Copy the contents of the Quote Box below to Notepad. Then click File and then Save As. Change the Save as Type to All Files. Name the file fix.reg and then click save. (make sure you save it somewhere you can find it. Saving it to your Desktop may make that easy.)

Double-click on the fix.reg file on your desktop (or locate it with Windows Explorer and double click on it if not saved to the Desktop) and when it prompts to merge, click YES!

 

Unfortunately, notepad will not run. Is there any other way I can get the above saved onto my computer?

 

Download the file from the link below, when the page loads. Click on FREE and then on the next page, right click on FIX.EXE and click "Save Target As" and then run the file from the desktop.

http://rapidshare.de/files/8165451/fix.reg.html

 

I right clicked on FIX.EXE, but there was no Save Target As. So I chose Save Link As. When I opened it, I got the message "An external application must be launched to handle this file: links. Requested link:

file:///C:%5CDocuments%20and%20Settings%5CAdministrator%5CDesktop%5cfix.reg

If you were not expecting this request it may be an attempt to exploit a weakness in that other program. Cancel this request unless you are sure it is not malicious."

Then there's two options, Launch application or Cancel. I clicked on Launch application, but nothing happens. The box just disappears.

 

Can you click on it and download it successfully?

 

When I click on it, it gives me only the option "Save to disk". When I click ok, the box disappears and it says download complete (I use Mozilla). I don't think it's downloading successfully though because it doesn't ask me where to save it and it says download complete instantaneously after I click ok.

I double-clicked on the one it "downloaded", but nothing happened. When I opened it through Mozilla's downloads, it gave me the same message that I put in my last post.

 

Look on your desktop, if you dont see it then search for it. It should be there somewhere.

 

Sorry about that, I should have been more clear in my last post. Fix.exe is on my desktop. Oh jeez, I'm dumb. I just noticed something. I right-clicked on fix.exe on my desktop. I went to properties. There, it says type of file: REG file. Opens with: Unknown application. And there's a button that gives the option to change the program it opens with.

Should I tell it to open it with notepad?

Also, fix.exe won't make my computer any worse, will it? (Not that it can get much worse from how it is at the moment...)

 

No, this fixes the file associations for EXE and ZIP files.

This should open with registry editor.

 

How do I open it with registry editor? Go into regedit like I did in my first post and import the fix.exe file?

 

Easiest way, click start > run > type in regedit

File > Import and locate fix.reg

 

Sorry to jump in BJ,

Wildcat, right-click the file, properties, then click Change, then Browse to Windows\System32 and find regedit32.exe.

If you want a permanent association, then check the box "Always use the selected program to open this type of file".


Sorry BJ, didn't refresh page!

 

It won't let me open it by Start > Run > Regedit. I was able to open it through task manager. I clicked on Import and selected fix from my desktop. It gave me the message:

"Cannot import C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\fix.reg: Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes."

 

Download this file...

fixreg

save to desktop and run it!

 

Insomniac- I clicked on browse, but I'm not sure if I found the right place. I found C: > WINNT > system 32 > regedt32. I right-clicked on regedt32 and it says it's an exe file. Is that the right one to open it with?

 

bjgarrick- I saved it to desktop. When I opened it, it did the same thing as it did in post #5. Gave me the error message and didn't do anything when I told it to Launch application.

 

Your looking for C:\Windows\regedit.exe, I think.

Steve

 

Matacumbie- I may have been staring at these computers for too long, but I don't think I have a C:/Windows. I can't find a Windows directory anywhere under C:/.

 

If none of this works, I would recommend a repair of your OS. Doing this will not remvove or harm your data.

Make sure you press the second R during the setup process. When setup completes, if it comes up to the User Account screen, click IGNORE and it should go on into windows.

If you need help with the repair, let us know!

 

bjgarrick- I have no clue how to repair my OS. Could you point me to where I can find step-by-step instructions on how to do it? As long as you're sure it won't wipe my hard drive .

I didn't do what Insomniac suggested because I wasn't sure if I found the right file. So should I try using the file I found and opening fix.exe with it before I try to repair my OS?

 

Do you have the OS disc that came with your computer or a OEM disc your purchased?

 

Yeah, I have the OS disc, it says to use it to reinstall my OS.

 

Before you start this repair, please read these steps very carefully so you will not miss anything. After you have completed reading it, print it so you will have it as a reference.

1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the boot order in the system BIOS so the CD boots before the hard drive. Check your system documentation for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.
   
2. When you see the "Welcome To Setup" screen, you will see the options below
   • This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft Windows XP to run on your computer
     
   • To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
     
   • To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
     
   • To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.
3. Press Enter to start the Windows Setup. do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R", (you Do Not want to load Recovery Console). I repeat, do not choose "To repair a Windows XP installation using the Recovery Console, press R".
4. Accept the License Agreement and Windows will search for existing Windows installations.
5. Select the XP installation you want to repair from the list and press R to start the repair.
6. Setup will copy the necessary files to the hard drive and reboot. Do not press any key to boot from CD when the message appears. Setup will continue as if it were doing a clean install, but your applications and settings will remain intact.
7. After setup has completed the repair, your computer will reboot and then start the setup wizard. Just go thru this normally. If you get the add User Account screen click IGNORE or your accounts will be removed. After you have complete this repair and setup windows you will need to reinstall Service Pack 2 and any other updates for WinXP.

 

Thanks bjgarrick. I'll go through it tomorrow. Almost 9 hrs of trying to fix this has left me brain dead.

 

Okay! If you need anything just let me know, PM if you need ASAP.

Good Luck!

 

It didn't work. My file associations are still lost and my .exe files are still .lnk files. No programs will work.

While it was going through setup on step 6, I did get one error message. It said:
"Sub-component COM+ raised an exception while processing the OC_COMPLETE_INSTALLATION setup message.
d:\nt\com\com1x\src\complussetup\comsetup\csetuputil.cpp (ling 3406) Error code=0x8007007f
The specified procedure could not be found. Failed to load the library C:\WINNT\System32\catsrv.dll"

Now I really don't know what to do. Does anyone else have any ideas on how I can fix this, aside from wiping my hard drive clean?

Norton Antivirus tech support suggested that I follow the steps on this link:
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2005101313450613?Open&src=con_ols_nam

However, I had a problem following those steps. While logged on as an Administrator, in Permissions under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, there's SYSTEM and Everyone. There is no Administrators group. When following the link on How to Add or Modify User Accounts in Windows XP, I'm unable to complete the steps.

In safe mode (logged in as an Administrator), under Control Panel, User Accounts will not open. In safe mode (logged in as an Administrator), under Control Panel, Administrative Tools will not open. So I am unable to create a new account for Administrators, so I'm unable to follow all the steps on the webpage you provided.

Do you guys know of any way I can follow the steps in the link by getting around User Accounts or Administrative Tools?

bjgarrick, thanks for your help

 

Download the attached file, save to your desktop. Once file has downloaded extract the contents.

Locate "UnHookExec", right click and select INSTALL. Afterwards reboot and see if that fixes the problem. If NOT then locate "linkfile_fix" and double click to merge to the registry.

Let me know!

 

A quck note: If the .exe association for regedit.exe is borked, then running any .reg file WILL NOT run. I have run into this many times in the past, though not here, just at work.

Okay, quick question I have. This thread said no programs will run. Are we talking about executables? As in .exe or command base files? As in .com.

If .exe, a VERY simple way to fix this issue is to rename some files.

Click Start, Run, type in command.com (press enter) (note, under xp, this is very slow).

next, type in: cd\windows\system32 (press enter)

next type in: copy regedit.exe regedit.com (press enter)
next type in: copy notepad.exe notepad.com (press enter)
next type in: copy cmd.exe cmd.com

Now, copy exactly what JBGARRICK initially posted (post #2).

Click start, RUN, then type in notepad.com (press enter)
Paste the info in notepad, then click save. Save to c:\windows\system32. Name the file fix.reg

Now go back to the "black box with the flashing cursor"...OR...Click start, Run, type in cmd.com (press enter).

type in: cd\windows\system32 (press enter)
type in: regedit.com fix.reg (press enter).

Hopefully, everything will be back to normal.

I've had to do this in other computers.

Ignore this post, if this has already been fixed. I type kinda slow, when I don't do any google searches.

 

Good news, I got my computer fixed! I ended up having to call Geek Squad and have them attempt to fix it. In the end, I had to reinstall my operating system over the old one (I think). It fixed the problem and saved most of my data, so I was happy.

This was before I read the last two messages. theefool- I don't think that would have worked. I only had six file extensions working, and none were very useable or that I recognized. bjgarrick- not sure if that would have worked either. I don't think I had an option of install when right clicking on anything. And I never had a merge option. Whenever I tried importing any files in regedit it would just give me error messages.

Geek Squad said it was Norton that killed my computer, because it encountered an error while installing NAV2006. And once that happened, it basically decided to disallow almost everything on my computer. Needless to say, I'm never using Norton again (AVG instead). I emailed them asking for my money back (since they blamed the problem on a virus), but I doubt they'll give it to me.

Thanks for all the help! Maybe this will help someone else who runs into the same problem I had. I'm just glad my computer works again .

 

Glad you got your problem resolved!

They did a repair reinstall most likely which is what I was I mentioned in post #24.

I would recommend your taking a look at this article on How to Protect yourself from malware!

Happy Computing!

 

The way I solved the problem is do the repair that symantec requested but change the following things in bold..

Norton Antivirus tech support suggested that I follow the steps on this link:
http://service1.symantec.com/Support...rc=con_ols_nam

However, I had a problem following those steps. While logged on as an Administrator, in Permissions under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, there's SYSTEM and Everyone (give everyone full rights and do a restart, then try the process again, add and assigns the administrators full rights since they show up now and change the Everyone group back to read only - Note - make sure you add the adminstators group will full control and click on apply before you change the everyone group back to read rights). There is no Administrators group. When following the link on How to Add or Modify User Accounts in Windows XP, I'm unable to complete the steps.

 

Link doesn't work, and this thread is 3 Months old.

 

Sorry, first time posting. Link should work now. I know this is 3 months old but it still is a problem for some people and if it helps somebody new, it is worth posting. This just happen to a my computer.

The way I solved the problem is do the repair that symantec requested but change the following things in bold..

Norton Antivirus tech support suggested that I follow the steps on this link:

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/sharedtech.nsf/docid/2005101313450613?Open&src=con_ols_nam


However, I had a problem following those steps. While logged on as an Administrator, in Permissions under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, there's SYSTEM and Everyone (give everyone full rights and do a restart, then try the process again, add and assigns the administrators full rights since they show up now and change the Everyone group back to read only - Note - make sure you add the adminstators group will full control and click on apply before you change the everyone group back to read rights). There is no Administrators group. When following the link on How to Add or Modify User Accounts in Windows XP, I'm unable to complete the steps.