Windows cannot run .EXE and .REG files.

[ConquerorAce]

This problem is concerning my friend's computer. He left for Armenia and gave his computer password to his younger sister, and when he came back...he couldn't run any programs other than Internet Explorer.

He keeps getting an error message saying:

"This file does not have a rpogram associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Flder Options control panel."

Beofre I knew that I couldn't run any .EXE files, I downloaded Ad-Aware 2007, SpyBot S&D, and transfered the install file and serial key of RegSupreme PRO from my computer. I tried installing them, but to my surprise I got the same error message. So I searched around on the internet and found some registry fixes (.REG files) that I had found on the internet from a varieyty of forums. I unloaded them and tried to run them but I got the same error message as I did before.

I also tried running "regedit.exe" as "regedit.com" but it still didn't run. It said that it couldn't find the program.

I reinstalled Wondows XP Professional...but still no improvement.

Please help me...I don't know what else to do.

 

[Rik]

Whe you reinstalled xp did you reformat the drive?

 

[ConquerorAce]

No, I did not reformat the drive because I was hoping that I could fix the computer without having to lose the data on the computer becuase my friend does not have a burner or portable hard drive of any kind.

 

[Rik]

I believe the problem is malware related. The fact that the pc wont run .exe files means that cleaning the infection is going to be impossible. A backup and a reformat is probably the only option.

Start, run sfc\ scannow may work bout i doubt it.

 

[matav]

for .reg extension files...
it must be asking you to choose a program [and shows you a list of programs] to open it with...
did you try choosing the program "regedit.exe" from "c:\windows\"?

 

[ConquerorAce]

No I didn't try choosing regedit.exe from the list. I didn't know you could do that but wouldn't it still keep me from using the fix, because regedit.exe is an executable program? I can try I just don't know if it's gonna work.

I already tried running "sfc\ scannow" but it didn't work. I'll try Matav's idea but I doubt it'll work.

thanks a lot for the help guys. Matav...you are a life-saver. What you said worked and myfriend was able to run the registry fix and his computer is now back to normal. I'll tell him to run Ad-Aware and SpyBot S&D scans to clean out some of the stuff that was left behind or that caused the problem. I'll tell him to do a registry scan to and he shuld be fine after that.