Windows 7: All icons open the same program

My son did something to the computer and now if you click on any icons or programs, they all open an info screen for Minecraft (game). I can't even get Explorer to open. He does not remember exactly what he did or how, and I am stummped. Any suggestions would be appreciated before I reformatt and reinstall everything.

Hello fan, and welcome to Sevenforums!

Try a system restore: System Restore

Try an SFC scan: SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

What happens if you type the program's name into your start menu search bar? You can try deleting all desktop shortcuts and taskbar 'pins', and once you open the program via the previously-mentioned method, RIGHT-clicking on the program and selecting Pin to Taskbar.

Clicking on System Restore takes me to the same Minecraft screen. Typing the file name in search does the same thing.

Now, when I double click to open a desktop icon, it starts to open a page and then shuts down the page, leaving me on the desktop.

Use this tutorial :
Restore default file type associations
Default File Type Associations - Restore

Scroll down to exe - Executable application files.
click the exe
follow the instructions from #1 to #6 at the top.

Scroll down to lnk - Shortcut link (LNK) files.
click lnk
follow the instructions from #1 to #6 at the top.

** make sure you restart the computer to complete the restore process.

Could potentially be malware. Make sure that as soon as you are able, you run a full scan with your updated antivirus program.

This is only a problem with one user profile. I tried d/l the link on the working side,(the troubled side will not open IE) but it did not make a difference on the troubled side.

got IE to open on troubled side...clicked on link, but it would not d/l or open...just showed a blank screen. Guess I'll go thru the reformatting

Wait...

you jump too soon and it is all over mate (er, so to speak).

You could attempt a repair install with the right DVDs: Repair Install - by Brink

There are even options to save user data and create a new profile while transfering old data to the new profile (a sort of fix for a single profile): http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...d-user-profile