Help: These files can't be opened. Your Internet...

Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit
UAC Disabled
Toshiba Satellite p300

Hi there,

I turned on my computer this morning and suddenly all hell has broken loose. Every time I try and open an exe file I get a Windows Security alert box telling me that:

"These files can't be opened. Your Internet security settings prevented one or more files from being opened."

I've read through every thread I can find on the topic and none of the "answers" have worked for me.

I can start programs (and essentially open exe files) if I open them via an associated file type. For example I managed to start firefox by opening an .html document and I've got thunderbird open through the use of an .eml file.

I can't start cmd, regedit, msconfig etc... unless I boot the computer in safe mode with command prompt. Safe mode by itself still produces the same "Windows Security" dialogue boxes.

I have tried the following common "solutions" with no luck:

1) Right click the exe, click Properties
Click the Unblock button
Click OK

2) Adding exe to Control Pannel > Windows Defender > Tools > Options > Excluded file types

3) Start / Control Panel / Internet Options.
(Internet Options control panel appears)
Click "Security" tab.
Click "Local Intranet"
Drag slider to "Low"
Click "Sites" button.
Click "Advanced" button.
Enter the IP Address of the NAS / SMB/ CIFS / whatever server and click "Add."
Click "Close"

4) Remove the registry key - HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{EF87B4CB-F2CE-4785-8658-4CA6C63E38C6}\TopViews\{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

5) Creating a completely new admin profile. - This one was interesting, when I logged into the account there was no aero theme - it went right back to basics.

So any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately I can't even run a system restore, presumably because it is essentially an exe.

There were several updates that were installed when I shut my computer down last night so I'm now guessing that's where the problem lies (hadn't even thought about that before). Is there a way to revert back from the updates to see if that really is the problem?

EDIT: I'm uninstalling my last night updates now and will report back with the results.

Thanks

Argh, still nothing. I guess I'll try running the last known good configuration. - Thanks

Solved!

Did lots of scans with malwarebytes etc... and nothing fixed it.

Then I did a system restore back to just before a critical update a couple of days ago and everything's back to normal.

Thanks everyone for all your help!