I can no longer launch my .exe applications. Solved/Closed

Question

Hello,
I am on Windows XP Home Edition
I just ran a scan with "Spybot Search and Destroy"
I was very happy to get rid of what it suggested, until the moment I wanted to launch applications
and everything ending in .exe no longer works!!!!
Can someone help me?

The error message I get is: "No program is associated with this file to perform this action. Create an association using the Folder Options application in the Control Panel." I tried to associate .exe with applications but nothing works

I'm desperate!

Thank you for your help.

Soda · Accepted Answer

I was too lazy to read, but I had this problem, and I found it myself:

Open Control Panel > Folder Options > File Types > New:

As the extension, input exe
Then click 'Advanced', in the small drop-down list that appears, choose "Application".

Confirm. I hope this has resolved your issue.

Executable files no longer open.

flet le kid · Answer

First, try to uninstall SPYBOOT. I assume it has finished its job. After that, if the problem is resolved, that's great, we know the culprit. Otherwise, reinstall it and try a system restore using the utility "start -> all programs -> accessories -> system tools".

I would still be surprised if SPYBOOT is guilty, but we shouldn't rule out any hypothesis.

Good luck!!

Fabrice3536 · Answer

There are no associations for .exe files since they are the programs themselves (executable files, thus independent and autonomous), unlike files that open with programs (i.e. .exe) which are dependent on the programs.

Criss · Answer

Thank you for your help!

V · Answer

Hello!
Here I am again, in the meantime I've found a solution.
Here are the steps to solve the problem:
1. Open a notepad (start > run > notepad). (The notepad will launch despite the fact that .exe files are not recognized, don't ask me why.)
2. Paste the code below into the notepad (the code starts with "Windows Registry" and ends with "@="\"%1\" %*")
3. Save the file with the .reg extension
4. Double click on this file and accept to add the values to the registry. There you go, that's it!
(Forgive my double post, but I was very very frustrated when, after eradicating the virus from my client's PC, nothing was working! Fortunately, it's resolved and he hasn't come back (the client, not the virus))
Hoping this will help someone!

The code in question:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]
@="exefile"
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile]
@="Application"
"EditFlags"=hex:38,07,00,00
"TileInfo"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion"
"InfoTip"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion;Create;Size"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\DefaultIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

Yomoshi · Answer

Well, I'm self-editing, problem solved just now on my end thanks to another topic from CCM that allowed me to launch a word processor (the trick is not to open the exe directly but a text file). From there, V's trick works immediately, without the need to restart! Thank you!

rgy834 · Answer

Hello,

I encountered the same problem after manipulating partitions (Linux deletion, resizing Windows partitions, etc...). No more ".exe" files could be launched.

It was resolved instantly, without having to restart the PC, using V's ".reg" file.

A big thank you to him - and to all the other participants on all the other forums - for the time spent helping others.

Romain

martounet · Answer

Good evening,
The problem was resolved by V.'s .reg (thanks to him) which I was able to retrieve because Firefox starts up despite the virus... Everyone can draw their own conclusion regarding which browsing program to use.

scalp · Answer

A thousand thanks to V, it also solved my problem. Does anyone have an idea where? It seems to me that it's "the residential protection" of Spybot that messed things up for me...  Thanks again.

Mathouqc · Answer

Thank you V, I had the same problem as everyone else, now everything works :P !!

TeKa · Answer

super great, the code posted by "V" worked for me. Thank you very much, TeKa

Loriane · Answer

Thank you V, I haven't been able to solve this problem for at least 3 years! I thank you endlessly..

neoantiagent · Answer

I confirm:
I tested V's manipulation following an exe launch issue and everything is working perfectly now.

Description of the problem:
Exe setups such as adsltv for example were not launching. The program was running in the background but was inactive.

After performing V's manipulation, I clicked once on the setup and it launched correctly.

I think that after being infected by certain viruses, the cleaning programs remove the root\exefile because it was missing from my registry.

THANK YOU V

scott33000 · Answer

Just to say: THANK YOU V, I've been struggling for 4 days, and now everything works... thanks for the workaround.

eragonfive · Answer

double post because I found the solution on another forum!

In any text editor, copy and paste the text below, save it under any name you want but make sure to give it a .inf extension. All you have to do is right-click on it and choose "Install". And once the registry is restored, download the first available patch on the Internet as soon as possible.
[Version]
Signature="$Chicago$"
[DefaultInstall.NT]
AddReg=Fix
RenFiles=Ren_rundll
[DefaultInstall]
AddReg=Fix
RenFiles=Ren_rundll
[Fix]
HKCR,exefile\shell\open\command,,0,"""%1"" %*"
[Ren_rundll]
rundll32.exe,run32.exe

Juliencaz · Answer

So first of all, a big thank you to V who really helped me out with this!

I might be able to unlock some of them! But unfortunately not all of them

Like many of you, I also couldn’t open V’s .reg file (or I could but only with notepad -_-)
However, with the run command, I could launch regedit. And from regedit, I went to file then import... and there I selected V's .reg file!

And poof, magic ^^

zouzou · Answer

Thank you V, I had the same issue under Vista, I opened WordPad because Notepad wasn't working. It worked after I pasted the code you displayed. That's great.

barburou · Answer

Thanks, the registry trick worked like a charm.

Echo · Answer

I've been struggling for a week, and I just found the solution by chance:
1. Click the "Start" button
2. Click on "Control Panel"
3. Double-click on "Folder Options"
4. In the "File Types" tab, click the "New" button
5. In the dialog box, click the "Advanced" button and fill in the "Extension" field with "EXE" and the "Associated file type" field with "Application," then confirm by clicking the "OK" button.
6. You should now see "Opens with: %1" in "Details about the 'EXE' extension." If that's not the case, a new "Restore" button should normally appear: click on it.
7. Close the "Folder Options" dialog box by clicking the "Close" button, then try to launch a software...

I can no longer launch my .exe applications.

19 réponses

Texture issues in enshrouded

Old lullaby

Unable to connect to freebox os

Edit ad on leboncoin for free

Freebox wifi password

Computer tower that won't turn on

Blocked: are my messages still being delivered?

Video intercom inspector

Your computer can't use another display.

Fransat decoder stuck