Some .EXE files "cannot be found"

[kyle_engineer]

So this is new to me... I've had a lot of problems with XP over the years, but here is something that I've never encountered.

Due to Avast moving a number of system files (from the system32 folder which cause a log in/out loop among other problems) I had to do a system repair using the XP install boot disk. After completing this I was able to get users going again. After a brief period of happiness, the User discovered that a commonly used program wasn't working. When I checked this out I found that the .BAT launcher was getting a "cannot find file '....exe'" error. I looked into this more and recently discovered that NONE of the .EXE files located in this particular directory can be used. Every one of them returns a "cannot find file" error even when double clicking. This is NOT the case in any other folder so far. The other files (.BAT and a number of custom extensions) work fine, but the .EXEs don't... :/

I've tried looking all over the registry and have not been able to find any problems. I ran "sfc /scannow" just to make sure that the system was still stable, and it checked out fine...

Another thing that I noticed, one of the programs' directories "dlc" is supposed to be located on C:\ root... (which it is) in doing a file search I discovered that there is ALSO a copy in the system32 folder!? This doesn't belong here at all, and it's not just a shared file name - it has(d) all the same files too...

If anyone can think of anything that might be helpful I'd really appreciate it. I'm at a loss of ideas, so anything is appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

kyle_engineer

[Geek-9pm]

Not sure how that could happen.
In Windows XP the norm is to put program EXE files in the Programs directory. Additional files would be place in  some place like Winndowsd32.
When you say BAT do you mean the LNK file?  That is the shortcut that resides in some place e start menu directory.

LNK
LNK is a file extension for a shortcut file used by Microsoft Windows to point to an executable file. LNK stands for LiNK. Shortcut files are used as a direct link to an executable file, instead of having to navigate to the executable...

I have never heard of a AV program changing  LNK files of legit programs.
The below reference is for Windows 7. It might apply to XP. Read down and find a reference to WINXP.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-system/shortcuts-lnk-default-is-changed/55bdb6b9-4ba4-46a7-8044-4c29852a3b86
Does that help any?

[kyle_engineer]

Hey Geek, sorry for the delayed response (crazy Holiday times).

So the ".BAT" that I'm referring to is a batch launcher that I wrote personally. The ".EXE"s that it has targeting errors with are all part of an old DOS program. Normally when one would double-click or otherwise launch one of these .EXEs it would flash a command window very briefly (I suppose that the EXEs want to have parameters passed which don't get passed when launched manually), however none of them would function right. When double-clicked, targeted from the RUN dialog or launched from the command-line, any of the EXEs in this 1 directory would report "cannot find file" as an error dialog. I checked all the file associations and they were correct, and no other errors with other software was found... Anyway, this isn't so much of a problem now because I just started using a different computer, but it is quite a curious problem...

So if anyone has any ideas what could have caused this, please feel free to speak.

P.S.
     There are also other files types ".BAT and .COM mostly" in this directory and they responded properly to calls... just NONE of the executables would respond... 

[BC_Programmer]

Can you verify the ACL on that folder still has the proper permissions? I tried to reproduce it by fudging with a folder's security settings and denying access in specific ways, but the only issue I got launching a 16-bit program via a batch file was "Access Denied". So I'm uncertain if this can cause it- it only affecting the one folder could be a result if ACLs though. It's possible the ACLs on the individual files are corrupted too, I suppose.

If the error appears in the command window, It may also be the case that the program has other files it needs that would go in the same folder, but the working directory of the file was unset or lost during the repair process, which might cause the program to launch, but look for said file in the desktop folder (or whatever the batch file is) not find what it wants and tersely say it couldn't find the file.

[kyle_engineer]

I'll check that when I get a chance. I found a work-around solution (putting the person on another workstation) so it's a lower priority problem now. LOL! I'll post an update when I have checked it tho. Thanks BC.