Windows will not launch applications

[Knut_Arne_Vedaa]

I've run into the following strange problem. When trying to launch any .EXE file, Windows will either: say that it does not know how to open the file, or try to load it into Adobe Reader. Thus, Adobe is the only application that will launch, in addition to Explorer.

In safe mode with command line only, most applications will launch, but control panel applets will not - thus it is not possible to roll back using System Restore.

It seems to me that there may be some kind of erraneous file association with .EXE files, but I have no idea where in the registry to start searching for it.

This is not my own computer, but from what I understood the problem appeared after some trouble with installing/uninstalling Norton IS.

Any advice?


Knut Arne Vedaa

[Mac]

If you click on the moving link at the bottom of this post run the on-line anti-virus scanner.

If the system is clean see if the .exe fix from DOUG KNOX helps you.

[Knut_Arne_Vedaa]

Thanks for your reply. The file association fix did the trick. (Had to do it for .exe, .cpl and .lnk.)

[Mac]

Thanks for letting me know Knut. I hope that you bookmarked the page.
If not you can find them on the moving link below.

Pleased to hear that they worked anyway.