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So... I can't get .EXE files to run. Anything that will cause an EXE program to run will open it, but I can't directly open .EXE or .LNK files. I presume there may be others. This happened just a moment ago, after my computer locked up, and I was forced to hard reset.

Upon the restart, I got a series of Regedit change errors, and the .exes stopped opening by themself. Can anyone help me restore my computer? I presume I need to manually replace the registry values, but I don't know where on the computer they are stored, what reg value I need to replace, and where to get that reg value. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like either a malware problem, or an unusual case of registry corruption. You might wish to download a registry repair application-there are several Freeware ones on Download.com, however, if you can't run .EXE files, it might not do any good, in which case you'd either need to manually restore your registry to its prior condition (which could be rather difficult) or else, reinstall.

I have other computers at my disposal, so if I can hook my HD up to them as a slave drive, which I'm fairly certain I can do (Honestly, the biggest problem is getting my roomie to lend me the use of his computer for long enough), I can run the registry repair app off of that onto my drive. Either way, I'm backing all my files up to my external drive while I try and fix this. Thanks for the help.

I have other computers at my disposal, so if I can hook my HD up to them as a slave drive, which I'm fairly certain I can do (Honestly, the biggest problem is getting my roomie to lend me the use of his computer for long enough), I can run the registry repair app off of that onto my drive. Either way, I'm backing all my files up to my external drive while I try and fix this. Thanks for the help.

If it just occurred, try running system restore. It can actually work in cases like this as long as it isn't do to some of the nastier malware.

Netko wrote:If it just occurred, try running system restore. It can actually work in cases like this as long as it isn't do to some of the nastier malware.

I would, but it will not run. Hence my dillema. Unless you know a way to tricking windows into opening it through a filetype, it's not opening for me.

Destructionator XIII wrote:Have you tried system restore from safe mode?

Not yet. I'll attempt it when I return, providing Safe Mode works properly. (I gave up on trying to fix the problem when I failed to boot into safe mode last night)

I've run into this problem a few times. Happened when I worked at a computer repair shop. Sounds very much like the registry being corrupted and you need to restore certain registry entries, namely the ones that govern file associations (it sounds like a the .exe file association entry being corrupted). One of the ways this can happen if you are running antimalware software that has registry protection settings turned on and you answer certain permission questions wrong. It fucks up file associations but doesn't actually permanently damage anything.

I've been meaning to pop into my old workplace one of these days, which I will probably do on Monday. They had this really great instruction set for how to fix stuff. There's a site where you can download uncorrupted versions of several different registry entries that govern file associations and the actual process of fixing them is not too complicated and not reliant on any external software. I'll ask them to send that thing to me via email.

If you haven't gotten things fixed by then, we can see if that helps any.

Edi wrote:I've run into this problem a few times. Happened when I worked at a computer repair shop. Sounds very much like the registry being corrupted and you need to restore certain registry entries, namely the ones that govern file associations (it sounds like a the .exe file association entry being corrupted). One of the ways this can happen if you are running antimalware software that has registry protection settings turned on and you answer certain permission questions wrong. It fucks up file associations but doesn't actually permanently damage anything.

I've been meaning to pop into my old workplace one of these days, which I will probably do on Monday. They had this really great instruction set for how to fix stuff. There's a site where you can download uncorrupted versions of several different registry entries that govern file associations and the actual process of fixing them is not too complicated and not reliant on any external software. I'll ask them to send that thing to me via email.

If you haven't gotten things fixed by then, we can see if that helps any.

Thanks a lot. I don't think it'll take that long to get my registry back to normal, but it's nice to know I've got a backup.

Addendum: I haven't gotten things quite fixed yet, but I know how to manipulate my computer into running things now. It WILL run .EXEs and the like if it's opening a file to run them, even if the file will not actually play with that program (for example, I used a .MP3 to get my Instant Messenger running.). Also, it's looking like I'll might need that uncorrupted registry database, since I've run a registry recovery, and it's not done a thing (Sysrestore still doesn't work, however. Does anyone know the name of the program file for it?)

Update: You'd be amazed what you can fix with an install disk a valid XP registry file, and some drivers.

Ah, you got it fixed. If you hadn't, I'd have pointed you to this.

He used to have a list of registry backupfiles, but the site has changed since my last visit there.

Edi wrote:Ah, you got it fixed. If you hadn't, I'd have pointed you to this.

He used to have a list of registry backupfiles, but the site has changed since my last visit there.

Thankee much. I'll keep it in mind.

Say, does anyone know of a good place to find drivers for laptop equipment? I seem to have lost some of my drivers (specifically the higher Audio and Video drivers) in the repair, and most of my searching brings up the equipment itself for sale as opposed to the drivers for said equipment.

It's not a pressing need, but it does irk me that I've got zero multimedia on my home machine now.

Have you tried the manufacturer's pages? Most of them are fairly good about providing the drivers for their stuff, but you won't find the drivers by googling them. You actually need to go to the site and see what the support & download links bring up.

EDIT: Also, since most laptops are as indecently integrated as they are, you generally can't use any other drivers than the ones from the manufacturer annyway.

Edi wrote:Have you tried the manufacturer's pages? Most of them are fairly good about providing the drivers for their stuff, but you won't find the drivers by googling them. You actually need to go to the site and see what the support & download links bring up.

EDIT: Also, since most laptops are as indecently integrated as they are, you generally can't use any other drivers than the ones from the manufacturer annyway.

Thought of that first, actually. They didn't work, though I supposed I might have gotten the wrong ones, as I did not get much sleep over the weekend for a number of reasons. I'll try again, though.

You need to check the serial number and the actual model of the laptop. Something like HP Pavilion, for example covers dozens of different models, so you need the model code which is generally something like T1390F or whatever. Some manufacturers also have a system where if you punch in the serial number of the machine, it will next give you a choice of operating systems and then the drivers, or just the drivers directly and you need to look through them. Sometimes you really need to look through the lists so you get the latest drivers.

You will also want to upgrade your laptop's BIOS to the latest version. BIOS upgrades can actually make all teh difference often, because the early versions may be missing critical updates such as heat dissipation system monitoring (so the machine shuts down due to overheating because the necessary controls just aren't there, I've seen that one).

Yep. That did it. I downloaded the drivers for the wrong version of the computer. Thanks for the help.

Now all I need to do is figure out why the media players refuse to play properly. Sound and Video works perfectly, but media players just hate to load.