Question

Windows XP: only task manager and IE will run, icons of 3rd party programs are missing, nothing happens on clicks.

Asked by: lmbotg

After downloading a critical security update for ASP .NET from Microsoft, my computer (Windows XP Professional SP2) has stopped working.  It boots and logs on OK, but I cannot run 99% of programs.  For example, trying to run the setup.exe of the XP install CD, it complains that setup.exe is not associated with any program, anto correct this with the control panel.   When I try to run the control panel, it only makes a shortcut (that does not work).
Right clicking on any screen icon shows a degraded list of options, 'open' being the most obvious absence.  My Norton AntiVirus (2004) found nothing after hours of file scanning.  Re-Installing XP changed nothing.  Is this a result of some sort of malware?  Should I just wipe the drive?

Robert

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Asked On
2004-12-29 at 11:14:04ID21256669
Tags

xp

,

i

,

manager

,

run

,

task

Topics

Windows Network Security

,

Adobe Type Manager

Participating Experts
2
Points
250
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: richrumblePosted on 2004-12-29 at 13:03:11ID: 12922003

You could try Stinger... from McAfee. but you say that you re-installed xp, things work, and when you apply the sp2 things get funky just as they did when sp2 was first applied? Are you sure the patch is trustworty, from M$? If you could, perhaps buy, or borrow a new/used HD, and try it again... leaving out any previous HD's. That be my first step... rebuild from new, trusted sources. Then if that works, get your old HD scanned by McAfee or other AV product.
-rich

 

by: caza13Posted on 2004-12-29 at 13:29:21ID: 12922184

How to Fix a Broken .EXE Association

http://filext.com/info/showthread.php?t=12

 

by: lmbotgPosted on 2004-12-29 at 13:36:03ID: 12922229

When I try to run regedit, it also causes the not associated with any program message.

Robert

 

by: caza13Posted on 2004-12-29 at 14:00:57ID: 12922406

Copy the appropriate text from the web page and paste it into a text editor.  Save the file with a .reg extension.  When you double click on the file icon, it will be imported into your registry.

 

by: caza13Posted on 2004-12-29 at 14:06:50ID: 12922448

Here is the text that you should copy for Windows XP:


Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]
@="exefile"
"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\PersistentHandler]
@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile]
@="Application"
"EditFlags"=hex:38,07,00,00
"TileInfo"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion"
"InfoTip"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion;Create;Si ze"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\DefaultIcon]
@="%1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open]
"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\DropHandler]
@="{86C86720-42A0-1069-A2E8-08002B30309D}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers\PEAnalyser]
@="{09A63660-16F9-11d0-B1DF-004F56001CA7}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers\PifProps]
@="{86F19A00-42A0-1069-A2E9-08002B30309D}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHan dlers\ShimLayer Property Page]
@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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