Problem: All .exe file won't execute via short-cut or direct icon. Warning/Error Message when trying to access Control Panel: "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." Warning/Error Message when trying to open all other .exe files: "Windows cannot find 'C:\[whatever .exe file I choose]'. You may have typed the name incorrectly in the Run dialog, or another open program cannot find a system file. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click search." Other Items of Note: The Run dialog will work but not find the files (I've tried running "msconfig" and "regedit"). I can also view files within Windows Explorer. Associated files, like a .doc or .xls, WILL OPEN their respective programs and function "normally." These are the same programs which will not execute from their icons. All data files seem to be fine. Circumstance: The church office computer was acting strangely as when it had a virus last year. I ran Bit Defender (v. 8) to check the system. At about 98%, Bit Defender erred out. The scan log recorded an incompleted removal process of "msupdate.exe" which I believe is spyware rather than virus. As I attempted to find the cause for the Bit Defender crash, I had to cold boot the computer to restart it. The Start menu Shut Down wouldn't work and the Ctrl-Alt-Delete. Neither would execute and open their dialog boxes. When the computer restart, the typically programs that load did not (with exception of PC Anywhere). Then the above noted problem took full force. Questions: What is going on? If this is a virus which has affected the computer's registry, how do I fix it since I cannot execute "regedit"? If Bit Defender removed something in the registry, how do I put it back since I cannot execute "regedit" or Bit Defender? Etc., etc. As you can see, I'm at a loss and need some wisdom. Thank you in advance for any help. Duane Nelson Really a pastor not an IT :-

Duane, Go to the link below and download & run the Fixsewn.inf file. If you can't access the Internet with the problem computer use another computer to download the Fixswen.inf file onto a floppy disk or CD. Transfer the floppy disk or CD to the problem computer then save the fixswen.inf file to your local hard disk, right-click on the file and choose install. Hopefully whatever screwed with the file associations didn't screw up the .inf file association. Fixswen Tool Tufenuf

i also had the same error could not open any .exe files at all. keeped getting ( open with )window)) so i exported from another WINDOWS XP registry. open run and type REGEDIT ( EXPAND ) HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT go down the list and find (.exe ) FOLDER )) right click on the folder and export it the c:\ as ( exe restore.reg )then save it to a floppy and just double click on it in the computer that is having problems. then restart the computer.

I have tried both the solutions on this page so far for a similar problem, but it won't open the reg file (just like exe, com, etc.) and when I try to install the fixswen tool, it shows "grpconv.exe" and the same error for not being able to open the type of file. Any additional help would be appreciated.