Solved Windows 7 won't open all any installed applications

[gussuk25]

Windows 7 .exe won't open

I was stumbling on firefox when all of a sudden my computer shut down. Upon reboot it would not allow me to run any .exe programs. It won't let me run them even if I click on them right at start up. I can open folders and start task manager, but other than that I can't do anything. Reboots take forever and don't work sometimes. I already updated all the registry files also and restored it and neither method worked.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also a side note, watching taskmanager lets me see that the computer is opening processes with an .exe file type but won't allow applications at all.

 

[Brink]

Hello Gussuk, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You could download and merged the EXE and lnk (LNK) options in the tutorial below to restore their default associations.

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

Afterwards, I would recommend to scan your system with MalwareBytes free to help make sure your system is clean.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[gussuk25]

yep I already did that. First with the exe option, and then with every other one. And i did it before and after system restores and restarts. It didn't work anyway I tried it.

 

[search53]

There's a virus going around that shuts down the Action Center, turns off any AV software you have, and when you try to run an EXE it says something like "What do you want to use to open <programname>?" The only way I was able to recover from it was to boot off my AV DVD (I bought a retail version in the store, so I had a disk), and after cleaning just to be safe I used the oldest Restore point. After booting seemingly clean, I ran a full scan on the system. I've been clean ever since.

From what I can tell, I was infected on the fly from a banner.

 

[lehnerus2000]

If you are using Firefox, I'd advise installing the NoScript add-on.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript/

It can be a pain sometimes (because idiot web page designers use js and Flash for just about everything these days) but the inconvenience is minor compared to having your PC "hosed" by malware.

 

[gussuk25]

to search53, mine doesn't display any sort of message, just pretends to load for a couple minutes and stops. also thank you lehnerus2000 i'll have to check that out.

 

[gussuk25]

I was stumbling on firefox when all of a sudden my computer shut down. Upon reboot it would not allow me to run any installed programs. It won't let me run them even if I click on them right at start up. I can open folders and start task manager, along with defragment and disk clean up, but i can't open any installed programs. Reboots take forever and don't work sometimes. I already updated all the registry files and restored it and neither method worked. I have restarted it and also installed the .exe registry file about 3 times.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also a side note, watching taskmanager lets me see that the computer is opening processes with an .exe file type but won't allow installed applications at all.

 

[Golden]

Hi,

This sounds like a potential malware infection. What anti-malware/anti-virus software are you running?

Lets see if this will work without anything else first : download, update, install and run FREE Malwarebytes. Do a quick scan and then post the log here.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.51.2.1300 - TechSpot Downloads

If you have problems installing Malwarebytes, post back here and we can make other suggestions.

Regards,
Golden

 

[gussuk25]

I have avg, malwarebytes, lavasoft ad-aware, spybot search and destroy, and spyware blaster. The only problem is that I can't run any of them, even if I load a usb with them and write an auto run file.

 

[Golden]

OK. Lets try Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper (now called Windows Defender Offline). You will need to burn this to a blank DVD and then boot from that. Follow this tutorial to do that, and then post back once it has run - it can take a few hours but we will watch this thread for your reply.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166445-windows-defender-offline.html

Regards,
Golden

 

[gussuk25]

I did the scan and it came back with 8 hits, deleted them all and restarted computer and the problem is still there. Won't open any applications I installed, displays the loading icon when i click them but nothing happens.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Can you open documents for example by doubleclicking on a xls file? try doc and txt files as well

open a command prompt then type:
notepad
does it open notepad?
notepad.exe
does it open notepad?
c:\windows\notepad.exe
does it open notepad?

I did the scan and it came back with 8 hits, deleted them all and restarted computer and the problem is still there. Won't open any applications I installed, displays the loading icon when i click them but nothing happens.

what did it fix? see http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166445-windows-defender-offline.html for info
C:\Windows\Windows Defender Offline\Support
folder

 

[gussuk25]

I can open .txt files but not .doc or .xls files. I can also open pictures which it views in windows photo viewer, and note pad does open. I can open it by going through the start menu and the command prompt.

ERRORS_ONLY=0
MAX_SIZE=5120 
APPEND=1
MAX_LINE_SIZE=256 
-------------------------------------------------
START 2011/12/20 22:25:32:966 TID:872 PID:820
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:966 TID:872 PID:820
Binary architecture is amd64
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
UtilIsFileExists(D:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll) returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
CheckProcessorArchitecture returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
SetRecoveryEnvironmentKey returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
GetSystemSweeperPath returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Windows Defender Offline Directory = 'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client'
 
WARNING 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Missing definitions file in 'C:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Missing definitions file in 'D:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Missing definitions file in 'E:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Missing definitions file in 'F:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Missing definitions file in 'G:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Found definitions file in 'H:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:32:997 TID:872 PID:820
Signatures File Target = 'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\mpam-fe.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/20 22:25:37:068 TID:872 PID:820
CopySignatureFile returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:16:00:440 TID:872 PID:820
RunCallisto returned 0x00000000
 
FINISH 2011/12/21 02:16:00:767 TID:824 PID:820
 
 
START 2011/12/21 02:32:30:835 TID:140 PID:832
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:835 TID:140 PID:832
Binary architecture is amd64
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
UtilIsFileExists(D:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll) returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
CheckProcessorArchitecture returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
SetRecoveryEnvironmentKey returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
GetSystemSweeperPath returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
Windows Defender Offline Directory = 'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client'
 
WARNING 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
Missing definitions file in 'C:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
Missing definitions file in 'D:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
Missing definitions file in 'E:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/21 02:32:30:882 TID:140 PID:832
Missing definitions file in 'F:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
WARNING 2011/12/21 02:32:30:898 TID:140 PID:832
Missing definitions file in 'G:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:898 TID:140 PID:832
Found definitions file in 'H:\mpam-fex64.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:30:898 TID:140 PID:832
Signatures File Target = 'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\mpam-fe.exe'
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:32:35:094 TID:140 PID:832
CopySignatureFile returned 0x00000000
 
INFO 2011/12/21 02:43:54:538 TID:140 PID:832
RunCallisto returned 0x00000000
 
FINISH 2011/12/21 02:43:54:538 TID:836 PID:832

I ran the full scan the first time and the quick scan again after it didn't fix the problem.

 

[Kaktussoft]

It only list alot about 'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\mpam-fe.exe'
'x:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\mpam-fe.exe'
mpam-fe and mpam-fex64 are microsoft security client files. no problems at all I assume.
Did you cannot the pc/laptop with wire (not wireless) to internet? And did you update the virussignatures while scanning?
Missing definitions file.. strange

I did the scan and it came back with 8 hits, deleted them all and restarted computer and the problem is still there. Won't open any applications I installed, displays the loading icon when i click them but nothing happens.

what did it fix? see http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166445-windows-defender-offline.html for info
C:\Windows\Windows Defender Offline\Support
folder

I can't see any fixes in logfile you posted. It fixed 8 errors you told us?

When doubleclicking notepad.exe it doesn't open? And in command prompt it opens. Is that correct?

and note pad does open. I can open it by going through the start menu and the command prompt.

so running notepad.exe is working fine. Also shortcut to notepad.exe works fine (startmenu)

doubleclicking c:\windows\notepad.exe also works?

 

[GianniDPC]

Ok. Download Hitman Pro: Home - SurfRight
And ! run it in Force Mode (Hold down the left CTRL-key when you start Hitman Pro)
And do a standard scan and report the results (they will be under settings>history after the scan,
If that doesn't work scan with Hitman Pro in Safe Mode !

 

[Kaktussoft]

Why the heck all anti spyware advices!? First just investage what's working and what not

 

[GianniDPC]

Why the heck all anti spyware advices!? First just investage what's working and what not

Just to be sure,

 

[Kaktussoft]

Why the heck all anti spyware advices!? First just investage what's working and what not

Just to be sure,

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

Still not sure:

• Capable of running exe files in Command Prompt?
• Capable of running exe files using shortcuts?
• Capable of running exe files by doubleclick?

Still not sure what works and what not.

 

[GianniDPC]

Why the heck all anti spyware advices!? First just investage what's working and what not

Just to be sure,

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

Still not sure:

• Capable of running exe files in Command Prompt?
• Capable of running exe files using shortcuts?
• Capable of running exe files by doubleclick?

Still not sure what works and what not.

If so he can try running it in Safe Mode and see if he can open .exe files

 

[dbones]

Try renaming malwarebytes install exe to test.com. then reinstall it. and see if it will run. Also you can try ComboFix. Bleeping Computer Downloads: ComboFix Download. rename the malwarebytes in reg. mode then restart in safe-mode to try to run it.