.EXE are trying to open in Internet Explorer - Vista

[BRUN]

my friends computer has a bit of a major problem, somehow, virus maybe ?.....anything with a .exe file extension is trying to open in IE which then pops it up as it trying to download itself

cant open any progs and cant get regedit to open either even from a prompt

he is running Vista

anyone any idea what we can do, except format and start again ?

tried a few things online where you type out a reg key into notepad and save it as a .reg but it then wont install itself properly, though this could be because the line ive got from online isnt correct or even relevant

 

[Andy.]

Start I safe mode, back up all vital data and reinstall windows. You'll spend 10x as long trying to solve the problem than you will doing a clean install.

 

[bmit]

Is it just because he has the default action for an exe to open with ie? If so can you right click said exe and use open with . If a virus better off nuking and starting fresh as said above

 

[BRUN]

ive tried right clicking things and for some reason 'Open With' isnt an option

i looked at the file extension associations and .exe isnt in the list for you to change

 

[bmit]

Which reg did you try?

You might be able to save the below text (excluding quotes) in a .reg file and then merge it to remove any incorrect file associations for .exe

"
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.exe\UserChoice]

"

failing that try [FONT=Arial, Arial, Helvetica]pressing CTRL-ALT-DEL and open Task
Manager. Once there, click File, then hold down the CTRL key and click New
Task (Run). This will open a Command Prompt window. Enter
REGEDIT.EXE and press Enter.[/FONT]

sounds like you might've tried this already tho?

 

[BRUN]

tried both of those regedit still wont open from the prompt i get from task manager

 

[bmit]

No luck in safe mode? Maybe you could kick off a system restore off a disc boot if not ?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Does Vista have a 'roll back' feature like XP for when sh*t goes bad ?

System restore or something ?!

Maybe you can go back to a time when it worked....?

If that doesn't solve the problem, back up and start again.

Always have a back up plan with important things... Always have a back up of the back up plan with the VERY important things

 

[BRUN]

hmmm didnt think about roll back, possibly ill have to nip down his again and check

he got the comp from a friend or free i think, doesnt have any restore or even windows discs with it

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

I'm sure you can "find" a copy of Winblows on the tinterweb.



Or, sack MS and try Linux (Ubuntu) ?

 

[BRUN]

lol Linux isnt an option

 

[Addicted]

backup and move to windows 7, problem solved.

as said earlier, you'll spend easily twice as long trying to fix it

 

[BRUN]

the comp in question would never run Windows 7, it doesnt cope that well with Vista tbf

 

[BRUN]

Amazingly managed to sort this with a .reg file I downloaded and stuck on a usb stick