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help solving a win xp issue

Discussion in 'Technology' started by f1_nix, Apr 30, 2011.

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  1. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    #1 f1_nix, Apr 30, 2011
    My daughter's laptop has a problem. It appears all of the file associations are messed up. I cannot run anything directly. If I click on an app (.exe file) it says it can't find the application to run that file.

    I can't run regedit.exe, command.com, etc. I can't run windows search, internet explorer. I can run google chrome for some reason.

    I was able to create a kaspersky rescue disk on a usb memory stick and boot from it but it found nothing.

    The laptop doesn't have a cd/dvd drive. It is a lenovo tablet laptop running xp sp3 tablet version.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 wax, May 1, 2011
    Can you run System Restore? Boot into Safe Mode?
     
  3. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #3 SPEEDCORE, May 1, 2011
  4. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    #4 f1_nix, May 1, 2011
    I can boot into safe mode but system restore won't run. I get "windows cannot open this file" because it doesn't know what program created it.

    I downloaded the files from the dougknox site but regedit.exe will not run. same reason as above.

    When I open all programs from the start menu all of them show as "program".lnk; ie word.lnk.

    I can run google chrome so I can browse the net and run stuff that is browser based but nothing that requires a downloaded executable.

    I was able to boot kaspersky rescue disk from a USB mem stick. It brings up a linux environment but not a full function one (I think). Apparently if I can boot linux and then run WINE (a windows emulator) I may be able to edit the registry back to normal. Can someone walk me through those steps?
     
  5. 430man

    430man Formula Junior

    Jan 18, 2011
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    #5 430man, May 1, 2011
    OK Google Chrome runs because it is not an windows binary it is written in java and your jvm is still functioning.

    Try booting into terminal and editing the registry from the command line. (see wikipedia for instructions)

    Alternatively try to find some java code to edit the registry and run it in the jvm.
     
  6. 430man

    430man Formula Junior

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    #6 430man, May 1, 2011
    Er.. I'm a bit confused here... are the file names Program_name.exe or Program_name.lnk ?

    If .lnk can you rename them?
     
  7. powerpig

    powerpig F1 World Champ

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    #7 powerpig, May 1, 2011
  8. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    #8 f1_nix, May 1, 2011
    all of the icons are titled program_name.lnk. when I check their properties they show a valid pathname with the program_name.exe
     
  9. 430man

    430man Formula Junior

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    #9 430man, May 1, 2011
    ok I guess that makes more sense... did you try editing the registry from the command line?
     
  10. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    #10 f1_nix, May 1, 2011
    Can't get it to boot to terminal because I don't have the admin password. I'll just send it back to school with her tomorrow and let her tech teacher fix it.

    Thanks for the suggestions everybody. Just not meant to be.
     
  11. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #11 SPEEDCORE, May 1, 2011
    Did you do this step?

    Also try this http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_easy_file.htm

    If not here is a more technical guide at fixing the issue http://www.aade.com/XPhint/XPrecovery.htm I'd recommend reading through it 1st before trying anything.


    powerpig: He said it was a XP issue not 7...
     
  12. SPEEDCORE

    SPEEDCORE Four Time F1 World Champ

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    #12 SPEEDCORE, May 1, 2011
  13. 430man

    430man Formula Junior

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    #13 430man, May 20, 2011
    Last edited: May 20, 2011
    MY wife is on the board of a non-profit and last night she brought home their laptop with this EXACT problem. (which I had never seen before) Remembering this post, I figured I'd post the solution for any googlers who stumble upon this post.

    The core problem is that windows loses the association for .exe files. I forgot how I got regedit running (sorry) but after I did, these are the two links that saved the day:

    Microsoft has a page on it that claims it is all you need:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172223

    but after that did not work, I found this one:

    http://filext.com/faq/broken_exe_association.php

    The problem on this laptop was that when it did not know how to run IE (which is a .exe) it asked the user what application to run this "document" with... Someone picked IE from the list of applications. -- Which makes obvious sense from a users point of view.

    The problem was that from that point forward, it tried to then open all .exe files in IE. (because the user told it to)

    The key (in my case) was to clear HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\OpenWithList

    as per the second link I list. This was a Vista box.

    If your computer lost all the associations, there are several sites that have lists of associations you can download (one is linked above in post 3) but the main thing to to get Windows to run .exe files properly.

    --BTW If you can't run regedit, you can save the edits in a .reg (text) file then merge them, see second link I posted if you've never done it.

    good luck.
     

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