Solved Windows 7 won't open all any installed applications

[gussuk25]

to try to answer everyones questions

All programs that came installed on the machine, notepad, defragmenter, disk clean up, etc can open from the startmenu and command prompt. It is the programs that I installed, firefox, malwarebytes, skype, etc. that don't work.

Renaming malwarebytes doesn't work.

I can't open firefox but internet explorer does work, and it does say that I am connected to the internet.

I am on a different computer when I download everything and I move it over to the broken one on a usb stick.

I have run the windows defender scan a total of 3 times.
First time was a full complete scan with 8 hits, which it said that it removed at the end of the scan.
Second was a quick scan after I had restarted the computer and found out that it still was not allowing installed applications to run.
Third was another full scan overnight which came back with no problems.

Safe mode also doesn't work. Booting in safe mode lets me have the same mobility as booting it normally.

Thank you to all for helping me so far, hopefully one suggestion will work.

Also another helpful side note, when I tried to reinstall malwarebytes through internet explorer, I downloads the file but then nothing happens. It completes the download and nothing opens up. I also can't uninstall anything because It won't allow me to open anything that I installed.

Something else I just noticed was that most of the applications in Program Files can open. They all appear to be preinstalled also.
In the Program Files (x86) folder, home to most of the programs I installed, most of them don't work.

I don't know why I have two program files folders, I just had them both when I got the computer from HP. It also looks like all the programs I have installed go to the (x86) folder.
Don't know if this will help just trying to share as much information as possible.

 

[Kaktussoft]

All programs that came installed on the machine, notepad, defragmenter, disk clean up, etc can open from the startmenu and command prompt. It is the programs that I installed, firefox, malwarebytes, skype, etc. that don't work.

Can you start notepad.exe by doubleclicking it in c:\windows ? Still no answer afaik
Program Files (x86) folder is for 32bits applications
Program Files folder is for 64bits applications

Something else I just noticed was that most of the applications in Program Files can open. They all appear to be preinstalled also.
In the Program Files (x86) folder, home to most of the programs I installed, most of them don't work.

Do you run them by doublecliking?

 

[gussuk25]

To kaktussoft,
Any files I can open open by double clicking on the icon and running them through command prompt. I hope this clears it up.

 

[lehnerus2000]

He told us he can't run exe files. How can he install software?

You can get AV/malware scanners that don't have to be installed in the OS.

To kaktussoft,
Any files I can open open by double clicking on the icon and running them through command prompt. I hope this clears it up.

Will the programs run, if you right click on the icon and select "Run as administrator"?

 

[gussuk25]

no programs that I installed will run. They won't run if I double click them, try them through command prompt, or run them as administrator. It also doesn't work if I try it all those methods in safe mode.

 

[lehnerus2000]

These may have been covered earlier.

Do you have an AV program?
Is it still (apparently) running?

Does "Windows Defender" still work?
Does it complain if you do a "Full Scan"?

Can you create a new user with Admin rights?
Can that user install/run programs?

 

[gussuk25]

I have avg antivirus and it isn't running like it ususally does when I turn on my computer. I also have downloaded and run the windows defender scan 3 times, 2 full scans and 1 quick scan. The first scan came back with 8 hits and it said that it deleted those, and they never showed up on the following scans. I will try the new user thing now and post back in a few minutes.

 

[gussuk25]

A new developement, when trying to start my computer to try to create a new user, my computer was unable to start and startup repair fired up and is attempting repairs, I don't know if this is of any help but I figured it was worthwhile mentioning.

 

[gussuk25]

So it fixed itself with the start up repair, and the answer is no, it will not let me create more accounts. I did however enable the guest account and when I logged on to that one it wouldn't allow me any more freedom than the main account.

 

[Kaktussoft]

To kaktussoft,
Any files I can open open by double clicking on the icon and running them through command prompt. I hope this clears it up.

So ALL exe files run successfully by doubleclick on shortcut?
So ALL exe files run successfully by running from command prompt?

 

[lehnerus2000]

I'm afraid to say that it sounds like your PC has been "hosed" by malware.
One of the standard malware functions these days is to disable your AV program.

Unless someone else comes up with a miraculous solution, I think that you'll just have to:

• Format your HDD.
• Re-install Windows.
• Re-install your programs.

Sorry.


IMO, if you decide to re-install everything:

• Create a backup image AFTER you've installed Windows and its updates.
  
• Create another backup image AFTER you've re-installed your programs and their updates.
• Don't surf the Internet UNTIL you've made the backup images (limit your surfing to updates).
• Remember to install NoScript for Firefox.

You should be "good to go" after that.

 

[Kaktussoft]

So it fixed itself with the start up repair, and the answer is no, it will not let me create more accounts. I did however enable the guest account and when I logged on to that one it wouldn't allow me any more freedom than the main account.

startup repair??? or do you mean system restore so going back in time?

 

[gussuk25]

The only programs that run are programs that were installed prior to me getting the computer: notepad, windows media player, windows explorer, etc. Any programs that i have installed: firefox, itunes, skype, av software, etc. don't work at all. No matter how I try to open them.
When it opened the startup repair, it said that it was unable to start windows and that it repaired it, and then restarted into windows.
To Lehnerus2000 I think that that is the only solution to my problem now. Unless someone else can come up with something I haven't tried yet.

 

[gussuk25]

Also to Kaktussoft, I have restored it twice, once to a previous time that week and another time to a previous month and it did nothing to help either time.

 

[GianniDPC]

Also to Kaktussoft, I have restored it twice, once to a previous time that week and another time to a previous month and it did nothing to help either time.

Yes ofcourse system restore will most of the time not help if you have viruses.
But did you tryed my advice a few pages back ??? do a force scan with Hitman Pro, Info is in one of my previous posts.

 

[gussuk25]

I ****ing love you GianniDPC!!!!!!! Like you don't even realize how much I love you right now!!! sorry about the language, Hitman Pro got it on the first scan, i'll post the results incase you wanted to look at them.
it was a Master Boot Record (Sector 0)
Rootkit
C:$MBR
Once again thank you so much for your guys help, your all great!!

 

[lehnerus2000]

Remember to make a backup image, now that your PC is working again.

 

[Kaktussoft]

ooooo now I understand why system restore didn't fix it. It doesn't restore data files and MBR. startup repair did update mbr