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thepowerful

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regedit is not a valid win32 application but regedit.exe works

Hello guys,
 I am sure this is an easy question, but for some reason I can not figure it out.  When I click start->run->[type] regedit
I get the following error:
regedit is not a valid win32 application.

but if I type regedit.exe it loads up regedit?

does anyone know why this happens, and if so how can I fix this?
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war1
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Do a search for regedit* on your c: drive. what are the results?
Maybe there is another regedit.xxx that is executed before regedit.exe would be.
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thepowerful

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It can not find any of those files.

When I try start->run->[type]regedit.com
i get the same error

only regedit.exe works? :(
Hm, are system folders being searched? and hidden files and subfolders? Look at the advanced options.
>> When I try start->run->[type]regedit.com i get the same error

I did not mean for you to run the file but to find and rename it. If you have both regedit.exe and regedit.com, they may conflict. Removing the one should allow the other to work.
When I did the search I found that regedit.exe existed in a few places.

If I go to run and type in cmd it gives me the same error, but if I type in cmd.exe it works
same thing with tracert.

I tried the above instructions and ran a virus scanner (fprot) and a spyware system (pest patrol), but found nothing wrong.

any other suggestions?
Run the System File Checker.  Go to Start > Run and type

sfc /scannow

You need your Windows CD disk
that did not work :(.  Any other suggestions?
thepowerful,

Glad you are sticking with trying to solve the problem.  Check for virus and adware

Housecall Online Scan
http://housecall.antivirus.com
or
Panda Activescan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan.htm

SpyBot S&D searches your harddisk for so-called spy- or adbots;
http://security.kolla.de/
or
Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
or
CoolWebShredder
http://www.spychecker.com/program/coolwebshredder.html
or
Ewido
http://www.ewido.net/en/

If no joy, download HijackThis

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3155.html

Run the program and you will find many entries. Most are OK. Post the log at http://www.hijackthis.de/ and click Analyze, Save.  Post a link to the saved list here.