Solved suddenly NO .EXE programs will run

[koalady]

On clicking on the program name or icon, the standard Windows message appears: "Windows cannot open this file... needs to know what program .. to use to open it." The usual long list of extensions is available. But of course. .EXE is not on it. ALL my .exe files will not open.
The cause is that I ran malwarebytes.com. It found a few errors but no heavy ones. It concluded routinely, but with one note on the Avira antivirus program: ".. ipmGui.exe...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."
Presumably foolishly, I hit the Enter key expecting to get another window. But instead it exited. After a reboot, all program icons on the desktop contained that same 'cannot open...' message.
I find no way to reverse this. Including file associations, and Default Programs pages. Meanwhile I can run NO programs, thus am accessing the internet now on a backup machine.
But I suspect the solution is simple, involving the Registry? Please advise!

 

[Layback Bear]

What ante virus are you using?
ipmGui.exe. belongs to Avira.

See if you can use the online removal tool for Avira.

You might have to do that in Safe Mode.

Another option would be a restore point.
Take a look at this tutorial by Brink:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

 

[koalady]

POSTSCRIPT: I should have said rather that all my DIRECTLY opened EXE files will no longer open. Ones that have generated an output file will still open via double-double-clicking on that file. For example, SAMPLETEXT.DOC will load up MS Word, while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible, as noted. Thus, the extensions-to-program file associations table must still be intact, somewhere.

 

[Layback Bear]

Your words are not making sense to me.

Can you go to the Start/All Programs and open programs that way?

Do you have Icons on your Desktop to open programs.
If you do have Icons can you open programs using them.

Did you try System Restore Points? Yes or No.

Did you remove Avira? Yes or No?

 

[koalady]

POSTSCRIPT: I should have said rather that all my DIRECTLY opened EXE files will no longer open. Ones that have generated an output file will still open via double-double-clicking on that file. For example, SAMPLETEXT.DOC will load up MS Word, while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible, as noted. Thus, the extensions-to-program file associations table must still be intact, somewhere.

 

[Layback Bear]

From post # 5

POSTSCRIPT: I should have said rather that all my DIRECTLY opened EXE files will no longer open. Ones that have generated an output file will still open via double-double-clicking on that file. For example, SAMPLETEXT.DOC will load up MS Word, while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible, as noted. Thus, the extensions-to-program file associations table must still be intact, somewhere.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
From post #3

POSTSCRIPT: I should have said rather that all my DIRECTLY opened EXE files will no longer open. Ones that have generated an output file will still open via double-double-clicking on that file. For example, SAMPLETEXT.DOC will load up MS Word, while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible, as noted. Thus, the extensions-to-program file associations table must still be intact, somewhere.

------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want help from me you are going have to answer question completely and precisely.

Now go back to post # 4 and answer the questions the best you can.

 

[whs]

while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible

What exactly are you doing here.

 

[koalady]

To Layback Bear, and WHS:
"Your words are not making sense to me.

Can you go to the Start/All Programs and open programs that way?
NO. 10 HI-FREQUENCY PROGRAMS ON LIST. SAME RESPONSE TO ALL, THAT MESSAGE
"Windows can't open this file..."

Do you have Icons on your Desktop to open programs.
YES. LOTS
If you do have Icons can you open programs using them.
NO. SAME MESSAGE OCCURS FOR ALL.

Did you try System Restore Points? Yes or No.
YES. BUT SAME MESSAGE APPEARS FOR THE RESTORE PROGRAM.
Did you remove Avira? Yes or No?
YES

TO WHS: "while trying to load MS Word directly is impossible What exactly are you doing here."

EXAMPLE: A file HELLO.DOC was created by MSWORD. Double clicking on file name in Windows Explorer loads the MSWORD program and puts the HELLO file in it, ready for work as normal. But if I try to create a NEW file, thus needing to start MSWORD, the start fails, producing that same old 'Windows can't open this file' message. The same two outcomes happens with files created by data base programs, etc.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thank you.

This is what comes to mind. A new user account.

By Brink:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/181024-user-account-create.html

At the bottom of that tutorial there are many more options if needed.

 

[Kaktussoft]

exe - Executable application files.
lnk - Shortcut link (LNK) files.

Source: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19449-default-file-type-associations-restore.html

 

[Layback Bear]

Good think Kaktussoft. That might solve the problem.

 

[koalady]

To: 1) Layback Bear! . Your New User Account idea sounded good. I installed it ok. But alas, it had no effect.

To: 2) kaktussoft.Your EXE link to file DEFAULT_EXE.reg worked like a charm! Well, up to a point... It instantly restored all those 'cannot find' EXE files (programs). Heel erg bedankt!



But when I rebooted, all those files were back to 'cannot find'!
But when I copied that file to the Registry again, all were restored again!

I copied your LNK file, Default_LNK_(Shortcut).reg, in hope. But this had no effect.

Hence, the problem is fixed except that each time I reboot I will have to do that file co
To: 1) Layback Bear! . Your New User Account idea sounded good. I installed it ok. But alas, it had no effect.

To: 2) kaktussoft.Your EXE link to file DEFAULT_EXE.reg worked like a charm! Well, up to a point... It instantly restored all those 'cannot find' EXE files (programs). Heel erg bedankt!
But when I rebooted, all those files were back to 'cannot find'!
But when I copied that file to the Registry again, all were restored again!

I copied your LNK file, Default_LNK_(Shortcut).reg, in hope. But this had no effect.

Hence, the problem is fixed except that each time I reboot I will have to do that file copy!
Plus, the desktop icons for those 'cannot find' files remain in a blank state, pure white, and refuse to accept input via the 'change icon' window. A minor problem, except you wonder what else it indicates down below.

There is no "90% solved button", so I will mark this "solved".
But in addition, the problem that caused me to run malwarebytes in the first place, the extreme, unpredictable slowing of my Firefox, persists. So I will most likely grit my teeth soon and reinstall the whole operating system. Yikes...


There is no "90% solved button", so tomorrow I will mark this "solved".
But in addition, the problem that caused me to run malwarebytes in the first place, the extreme, unpredictable slowing of my Firefox, persists. So I will most likely grit my teeth soon and reinstall the whole operating system. Yikes...

Thank you both, and others, for your help.

 

[Kaktussoft]

When you have fixed it:
-logout
-logon again

Problem still fixed?

 

[koalady]

to kaktussoft:

no, the problem is the same: 'cannot find file' for all EXE files. But solution still works: install default.exe into Registry area. All icons blank still, but the programs work. But the cursor jumps all over the place within files!
But predicted I will mark this thread 'solved' (while muttering 'more or less').
Again, thanks to all for your help.

​

 

[margrave]

For every file type extension (including .exe) there is a registry entry that defines what Windows should do when asked to open that file.

#1 : The "HKCR\.exe" entry in the registry should say Default --> exefile.
#2 : The "HKCR\exefile\shell\open\command" entry in the registry should say Default --> "%s" %*
There's more in those two registry keys than that ... but those are the items that, if damaged, will cause your problem.

Some malware will deliberately damage those items, though there may be other, more mundane causes that would alter them.

Anyway ... have a look at those. If they're wrong, they need to be fixed.
If you know how to fix them, fine.
If not, don't. Someone here may be able to send you a fixer-upper registry script for this.

 

[koalady]

to margrave:
"For every file type extension (including .exe) there is a registry entry that defines what Windows should do when asked to open that file.

#1 : The "HKCR\.exe" entry in the registry should say Default --> exefile.
#2 : The "HKCR\exefile\shell\open\command" entry in the registry should say Default --> "%s" %*
There's more in those two registry keys than that ... but those are the items that, if damaged, will cause your problem.
= = =
Thank you for this. I checked, and item #1 is as you say.
But item #2 does not exist: there is no such entry on my list, but there IS ".exe_" which looks suspicious I guess.

 

[margrave]

Copy this into a text file, save it under the name fix.reg, and then double-click the file:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"
"IsolatedCommand"="\"%1\" %*"

 

[koalady]

Thank you Margrave. I followed your directions. Unfortunately they had no detectable effect! I still have to manually close about 30 desktop icons after a reboot, then install that earlier default.reg file. Oh well, I reboot only every few days... But feel a total re-install creeping up on me...