Windows will not launch an exe after virus removal. How to fix.

So you got one of those great little virus’s going around. You were able to clean it off after a bit of time and gnashing of teeth. However now you cannot launch any applications or more specifically any executables (.exe)

Fixing the association settings using Registry editor

Click Start, Run and type CMD

Type the following commands one by one:

cd\windows
regedit

If Registry Editor opens successfully, then navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ exefile \ shell \ open \ command

Double-click the (Default) value in the right pane

Delete the current value data, and then type:

"%1" %*
(ie., quote-percent-one-quote-space-percent-asterisk.)

*Interestingly some virus’s have changed the full path of default value to c:\users\HomerJSimpson<yourUserAccount>\appdata\local\happyvirus.exe /runas “%1” %*

Navigate to:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe

In the right-pane, set (default) to exefile

*Interestingly some virus’s have added things like “sfcfile”

Exit the Registry Editor.

Fix with a com executable

You can use a com object to run the fix

Download Fix from Ramesh

reboot and all should be happy. At least with Executables.

Special thanks to Ramesh for giving me the idea on how to do this.