# Cannot open .exe files



## IrishGunner (20 Aug 2005)

ok somebodys buggered up my pc

Cannot access any program when I click on Icon comes up with
Windows cannot open this file needs to know what program created it
Ran MS antispyware and the real time protection is inactive when I go to activate it come up with 'could not start the security agents' Also have ad-aware SE and Ad Watch I think the problem lies there somewhere ??

Cannot open .exe files have to right click and choose the program

did virus scan and spyware but nothing ??

Cannot run downloaded .exe files or regedit ??
any idea how to fix it


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## RainyDay (20 Aug 2005)

Sounds like somebody has uninstalled the applications/programs you are trying to use. Do you have the original disks which you can reinstall from?


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## IrishGunner (20 Aug 2005)

I can right click on them and choose the program to open them and then browse to where its located in program files and they open

However when I d/l a program it will not open it looks for the file associated with it

Also when I click on my computer-properties nothing happens as I was trying to do a system restore

when i re-boot a box comes up with c:windows\system32\mui\0406\xpapres.dll??

I am at my wits end


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## tiger (20 Aug 2005)

sounds like your infected with a virus.  if your definitions are out of date the virus can block the anti virus software from running (I've seen this happening).
If you use google or search on symantec with the exact string of error messages or other dialogs, it should lead you to the specific virus.  Sometimes from symantec you can then download a specific fix.
After that, update your virus software and run a complete scan (renew your subscription!).


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## IrishGunner (20 Aug 2005)

I have done all that but there is no infection checked with Norton and Trend online scan

I cannot run anything by clicking on it and I thought it was a registry problem

But I cannot run registry fix as I cannot open exe files

Is there a way of opening them otherwise I will have to leave it in for repair as I am at my wits end and searched loads of forums googled it but cannot find an answer


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## Decani (21 Aug 2005)

Don't know if it's related to your overall problem but that startup issue sounds like there's something up with your language/locale settings. MUI stands for Multilingual User Interface. 0406, a hexadecimal number, represents the Danish locale setting (1030 in decimal). For comparison, US English is 0409/1033.

It would be worth checking the Regional options in Control Panel to see if there's any fundamentally wrong at this level which might throw other things.


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## IrishGunner (21 Aug 2005)

When I go into the control panel and click the regional and language nothing happens ?

I give up at this stage is there any good PC repair place on the Northside of Dublin?


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## ClubMan (21 Aug 2005)

If you're using _Windows XP _you could try rolling back to a previous System Restore point and see if that helps.


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## IrishGunner (21 Aug 2005)

tried that also in safe mode but came up with cannot find the file associated with  rstrui.exe whne re-booted

At a Loss??


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## ClubMan (21 Aug 2005)

IrishGunner said:
			
		

> tried that also in safe mode but came up with cannot find the file associated with rstrui.exe whne re-booted


Is this any use?

Do you have any idea what, if anything, changed (e.g. new applications  or hardware installed/removed, configuration changes, files deleted etc.) between when _the PC _worked correctly and when all of these problems arose? Have you tried doing a repair install of the operating system from the original installation media?


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## IrishGunner (21 Aug 2005)

After much trial and error finally got it so exe files are working

No all I need is the Lnk files on my desktop to work
saw this on the ms site

1.	Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe), select the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT subkey, and then click Add Key on the Edit menu.
2.	In the Key Name box type ".lnk" (without quotation marks), and then click OK. Note that you should leave the Class box blank.
3.	In the Add Value dialog box, click OK to leave the Value Name blank, and click REG_SZ in the Data Type list.
4.	In the String Editor box, type "lnkfile" (without quotation marks), and then click OK.
5.	Select the .lnk key you just re-created under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT subkey. On the Edit menu, click Add Key and then type "ShellNew" (without quotation marks). Note that you should leave the Class box blank.
6.	Click Add Value on the Edit menu, type "command" (without quotation marks) in the Data Name box, click REG_SZ in the Data name box, and then type "RunDLL32 AppWiz.Cpl,NewLinkHere %1" (without quotation marks) as the string value.
7.	Quit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer

Hope i did this right. I created a new folder ink then a subfolder command or should that be shellnew ?? Then in the command I right click and modify data to put in the type rundll
This correct


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## ClubMan (22 Aug 2005)

IrishGunner said:
			
		

> After much trial and error finally got it so exe files are working


How did you get the _EXEs _working again?



> No all I need is the Lnk files on my desktop to work


You can also create links by using _Windows Explorer_ to navigate to the folder where the _EXE _is stored (e.g. usually C:\Program Files\<application>\...), right click on the _EXE _file and then choose _Send to -> Desktop (shortcut)_.


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## IrishGunner (22 Aug 2005)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> How did you get the _EXEs _working again?
> 
> *Got the PC started in safe mode and then did system restore and changed some registry details. Then got registry repair & this fixed them up.Also did spyware & anti virus with MS / Adware & Norton and this did the trick*
> 
> ...



I clicked on create shortcut in windows explorer but it comes up with the same invalid ink file 
Have to try the registry change below as did not work or see if there is a program to do this?


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## ClubMan (22 Aug 2005)

So _System Restore_ did the trick after all (at least partially)?

What do you mean by _"it comes up with the same invalid lnk file"_? Can you post any errors that crop up *verbatim *please as it will make diagnosing problems a lot easier.

I recommended right click and _Send to -> Desktop (shortcut) _*not *_Create Shortcut_. Have you tried the former?


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## IrishGunner (22 Aug 2005)

ClubMan said:
			
		

> What do you mean by _"it comes up with the same invalid lnk file"_? Can you post any errors that crop up *verbatim *please as it will make diagnosing problems a lot easier.
> 
> I recommended right click and _Send to -> Desktop (shortcut) _*not *_Create Shortcut_. Have you tried the former?



Will try when I get home and post what happens

Did not triy the above but d/l an lnk file clicked and opened it with regedit.exe and rebooted and wallah it worked
Think the problem started with Ad-Watch messing up the registry so going to take that applicaiton off my pc 

Thanks to everyone who helped


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## texasgamer (23 Aug 2005)

maybe there's an underlying virus... have you used panda anti virus solution? its pretty good


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