.EXE file extension problem

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OK i now have a PC that for some reason wont open any .exe files. Things like avg, mediaplayer, regedit, cmd all come up with and error message saying that the file extensions is nor recognised and to open the folder options control panel to select the correct program to open them with. However this dosent work, and as i cannot get regedit to work cannot seem to get another sloutions to work. Other file extensions do open the correct program (ie MP3s open mediaplayer) so i know the programs work but the exe extensions just not correctly associated.

Does anyone have any ideas what to do? without re-installing XP.

 

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http://windowsxp.mvps.org/exefile.htm

 

there's a link to a reg file on this page. maybe that'll help, assuming reg files are still recognized.

 

Thanks for your link D, but i'd already been there and tried it out. couldnt get anything to work as regedit wont run due to this problem. None of the other solutions there worked either.

However i havent tried whats been suggested on Omni's link. Never thought of renaming regedit.exe to regedit.com. Will give that a try next time (cant at mo as g/f using the monitor, mouse etc that i use to test spare pcs with for her pc. lol)

 

[edit] strike that comment.

 

twizzle,

On my Windows 2000 Professional computer, according to my "Windows Task Manager", Processes tab, Media Player is running as Image Name of "wmplayer.exe."

Since you mention that "...MP3s open mediaplayer...", it seems like not all .exe files are affected.

In this day and age of viral infections, maybe you were infected by a virus that makes regedit.exe unusable. A virus infection wouldn't want you to cure the infection by going into the registry and deleting the infection.

One suggestion might be to show file extensions. In Windows 2000 Professional, you can do that by double clicking "My Computer," going to Tools->Folder Options, click the View tab, then uncheck [ ]Hide file extensions for known file types. The reason for my suggestion is that maybe the "regedit.exe" file name was appended by a file extension that makes the executable into a non-executable, e.g. "regedit.exe.ext."

Just trying to help.

 

Interesting thread- don't forget to let us know the outcome Twizzle

 

Well i've tried everything listed on those links and nothings worked. Renaming the regedit.exe to .com didnt work as the copy command wouldnt run, Could not run CMD.exe as that was affected too, So there was no way to edit the registry in any way. The Regfix file that was listed didnt seem to do anything either, it ran asking if i wanted it fixed, i selected yes and it just closed on me. Rebooted pc after this but problem was still there.
I dont know what it is, if it was a virus or just the user mucking summat up. I had avg on the machine but again this was an affeceted exe file that wouldnt run nor would NOD32. The confusing thing is that every exe command seemed to be affected except for the office suite ones, Outlook, word, excel etc all ran, but wmediaplayer, avg, ad-aware and even commands such as CMD, regedit, defrag didnt.

So i tried reinstalling xp over the top of itself, 1st using the fix installation option. No luck there, keeps asking to open rundll32.exe (another affected file) and cant. So now running a fresh install altogther. Once this is done think im gonna image the drive as i know this user will **** up the pc again ina few weeks somehow....

 

how bout trying one of those Live cds by Linux or am i too late?

 

TOO LATE!!! ARGHHH now why didnt i think of that?

 

Might be too late, but:
There's a .com (fixreg.com) file you can download near the bottom of omni's link - did this not work?

Try running 'command' from the Run box rather than 'cmd' - it's a .com file so should be ok. (Don't know if this will help with the copy command though)

Does copy work through the gui (i.e. use My Computer/Explorer to dump a copy of regedit to your desktop & rename it there)?