Windows 7 opening .exe files problem

Question

Hi

Thanks in advance for any help u can provide.

Firstly i would like to explain that i am useless with computers and would greatly appreciate if any help could come in the most basic explanation possible please.

Ok, heres the problem. Been trying to open an .exe file on my laptop (running windows 7), and it keeps opening a box asking what program to run it with. I've looked online, and it looks like this is a fairly common problem for windows 7. Have tried using the advice provided on the below website:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505

I've gone through the fix it yourself section, which is the only one that works for windows 7 apparently, and when i get to the point where i type: "REG IMPORT Exe.reg" in the prompt, it comes up with an error message saying:

"ERROR: Error opening the file. There may be a disk or file system error."

I have absolutely no idea what to try now. Have tried downloading fixes off of other sites and following their instructions, and these do not seem to work either. Have also tried searching under the error message I have encountered, but this does not seem to be providing any help either.

Its really starting to annoy me, was just looking to play an old game, and its turning into a complete nightmare....

i'm a pc, and windows 7 clearly wasnt my idea!

Answer 1

JESUS FINALLY!!!! IF ANYONE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH WINDOWS 7, THIS WORKED FOR ME:

2 . Copy BETWEEN these lines and paste into Notepad - Save As - Encoding (Unicode) - exefileFix.reg -

then go to it in Start - Computer or Windows Explorer and Right Click on it and MERGE - REBOOT

DO NOT COPY LINES

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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

"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,\

  00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,\

  32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

  00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,30,00,31,00,35,00,36,00,00,00

[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" %*"

"IsolatedCommand"=""%1" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]

@=""%1" %*"

"IsolatedCommand"=""%1" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\DropHandler]

@="{86C86720-42A0-1069-A2E8-08002B30309D}"

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

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DO NOT COPY LINES

Answer 2

So is there a real solution to this problem yet? I have the same issue trying to install my file U_SFInstaller.exe but it opens up to a window of what to open it with. I've never had these problems with windows xp and older versions of windows before. I don't get why it doesn't recognize the file as an executable file to install a game I want to play. Do I need the professional version of Windows 7? I hope a solution can be reached or I might have to revert to the old windows xp which gave me no problems at all.

Thanks to anyone who can help find a solution.

P.S.: I have no malware,spyware,viruses,problems affecting performance of my system. My computer is top notch and brand new.

Answer 3

Hi,

It would be better to save it in your document folder though it really would not stop it from

running.

The FIXIT should also run on Windows 7 I think. The KB article references both Vista and

Windows 7.

Did this happen due to malware or an errant (bogus) Antivirus program trying to force you

to buy it?

---

Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Answer 4

thanks for the quick reply, appreciate the help here

i am logged in as admin, and did save the notepad file under unicode. Is there somewhere in particular im supposed to save that to? because in the command prompt it automatically starts as c:\windows\system32...is that the folder i should be saving the notepad file to?

ive tried using the automatic fix, but that is for vista only, so not compatible.

everything else uv suggested, although very much appreciated, is for vista, not windows 7

Answer 5

Hi,

Are you logged on as ADMIN?

Did you save the file as UniCode in Notepad?

Try Right Clicking on the .reg file and selecting merge using Start - Computer or Windows Explorer.

Did you run the FIXIT on that link which does it automagically?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505

As needed you can run most .EXE programs by going to where they reside and double clicking

on them. Such as Iexplore.exe is Internet Explorer an Explorer.exe is Windows Explorer.

Knowing this might help as you try to solve the problem.

---

1. Make a Restore Point so you can revert back if needed though not likely required.

How to Create a System Restore Point in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76332-system-restore-point-create.html

How to Do a System Restore in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

2 . Copy BETWEEN these lines and paste into Notepad - Save As - Encoding (Unicode) - exefileFix.reg -

then go to it in Start - Computer or Windows Explorer and Right Click on it and MERGE - REBOOT

DO NOT COPY LINES

---

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

"FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,\

  00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,\

  32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\

  00,2c,00,2d,00,31,00,30,00,31,00,35,00,36,00,00,00

[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" %*"

"IsolatedCommand"=""%1" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]

@=""%1" %*"

"IsolatedCommand"=""%1" %*"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\DropHandler]

@="{86C86720-42A0-1069-A2E8-08002B30309D}"

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

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DO NOT COPY LINES

If needed :

Check the EXE file fix here

http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html

Also check this one if it applies

http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/165/1/Restore-the-exe-file-association-in-Windows-Vista-after-incorrectly-associating-it-with-another-application.html

How to Set Default Associations For a Program in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/83196-default-programs-program-default-associations.html

Hope this helps.

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Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.