Cannot open files or copy/paste them

[warthogweb]

Win7 64 Pro 16GB RAM

This is a machine not used often. Suddenly, a few weeks ago I tried to open a file on the taskbar and got:

'This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program, or if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel'.​

This is not a 'file association' problem and applies to all files. There is no file (including .exe) that I can click on and will open the relevant program. Some executables will respond to 'Always run as Administrator' but most do not.

Associated - I think - with this problem is the new inability to drag/drop & copy/paste files (even from a CD). Drag/drop is checked under Internet Options.

Everything else appears per usual and I suspect malware has got onto the machine (cannot now open Avast).

Any help would be most appreciated. I have looked for similar problems but cannot find one that fits these symptoms.

Martin

 

[file3456]

If it is indeed malware you'll want to try and scan the computer from safe mode. Absent of that you'll want to use an anti-virus live CD to scan the computer such as this or this.

Some malware scanners I can recommend are Herdprotect portable which uses some 68 anti-virus engines, Malwarebytes, Superantispyware, TDSSKiller, ADWCleaner, and Freefixer which will give you a list of installed "modules" for you to research and delete any that are found to be suspicions. But you have to be very careful at what you delete. Each module will have a link to research it.


Use those malware programs in safe mode, but before you do turn off system restore and run rKill prior to scanning. You may in fact want to try a system restore before you do run an anti-virus scan. Perhaps your hard drive is going south.

Download RKill

Download Portable herdProtect 1.0.3.9 Beta

SUPERAntiSpyware - Downloads

Free Anti-Malware & Malware Removal | Malwarebytes

AdwCleaner - Free Adware Cleaner & Removal Tool | Malwarebytes

https://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/tdsskiller

FreeFixer

And here's another tool that can help find rouge things like rootkits. Stream Armor : Free Tool to Scan Clean Malicious Alternate Data Streams (ADS) | [url="http://www.SecurityXploded.com"]Home Page - www.SecurityXploded.com [/url] But like Freefixer, you need to research anything found and make damn sure you don't go deleting anything you shouldn't as some legit files have multiple streams. Like images.

 

[warthogweb]

Thanks...

Give me a few days and I'll check your links!