Discussion Locked

Cannot run .exe files in WIN98

0 helpful
11 replies
Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
After running McAfee to clean a virus, I can no longer run programs! The file assocation for Application is file32, and this cannot be edited! I am unable to run regedit or any other .exe file. The application file association cannot be edited ordeleted. Seems to be a catch22. Any help will be appreciated.

11 replies

by rockyolson

Hi I am assuming you are running win 98 if so do this. put in your win 98 disc then go to start, run, and type sfc. This will check your files for problems and correct them, I believe it should add your exe files. Good luck. rockyolson@charter.net

by berserker

Your computer might have been infected by a virus that edit the registry setting to cause this problem.
If you are very good in editing the registry. Try to rename the regedit.exe to regedit.com in MS-DOS. Then boot into Windows and run regedit.com from the Start/Run menu. This should allow you to go into the Registry. It seems that PrettyPark virus and other variant can do this kind of damage. Hope this helps.
Check with Mcafee or other antivirus site on advise to repair this problem.

by jb007

As suggested in the post before mine there is a particular virus that disallows access to *.exe files. It is very recent and has a fix available from the usual virus vendors. Its called Navidad and here is symantec's spiel on it.

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.navidad.html

I would suggest checking the registry entries mentioned in the patch and seeing if the navidad virus has infected your system.

regards,

JB007

by fred_e944

The Virus answers sound like what's happened. To run Regedit (or other .exe files) change the file extension to .com and try opening the files. You'll probably need Regedit to clean viral debris from the registry once the virus has been identified. I'm used to seeing [EXECUTABLE] as the association for Application, so this may be wrong too. That would have to be changed in the registry, but I don't know where offhand.

by tamj123

I got same virus on my network, the only way to delete the virus is edit regedt32 throught other computer.
first stop the file32.dll under task manager.
then use other computer connect to infected computer's regedit browes to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\exefile\shell\openthen delete the string that have files32.dll on it.
then restart the infected computer.

This discussion is closed to new replies.