.exe files not running

[Nickair]

Hi i am having some trouble with my dell desktop running Windows XP Professional. When i boot up and try to run any system applications i get a application not found error. If i go to run and try cmd, i get a message that ask which application i want to use to open the file. I am confused as to why this would happen. Obviously i have some sort of virus that caused all of this. I know i can easily fix this by reformatting the computer but i want to try and fix it without resorting to this if possible.

oh also i am pretty sure this is relate but the fist error i received was rundll32.exe not found, but i checked in the system32 folder and it is there...i dont know what is going on.

thanks

[webmoster]

I hope either your file system may crashed or affected by spyware something. just do following steps,

1. reboot and boot from windows XP CD and go to repaire mode.
get into command prompt (black screen), then type " chkdsk c: /f /r "
after finish this process, just reboot and try.

2. if it is not working again
if possible to get into safe mode get into safemode
open start -> type "msconfig" in the search box.
you will get system configuration window.
choose "Startup" tab and unselect all items
then click "OK" and restart.

Rgds,

[Nickair]

I was able to boot from my xp disc and repair it. I am currently midway through the repairing and i have hit a window that says Windows cannot open this file: rundll32.exe, to open this file windows needs to know what program created it...etc. What should i do?

It did this for other .exe apps like cmd.exe, regrsv.exe, RUNDLL.EXE, etc..a few more i had to hit cancle a bunch of times to continue through the repair installation...I thought this was supposed to fix this whole problem...anyone have some insight as to fixing this problem?

thanks

[gerbil]

" Obviously i have some sort of virus that caused all of this."
"I was able to boot from my xp disc and repair it. I am currently midway through the repairing...."
A decent rule for using an OS is to not try to install software while it is infected. The previous poster was short on detail, he wanted you to open the Recovery Console which is presented as an option around about where you elected to go with a Repair Installation. But this is not a problem chkdsk can fix.... I imagine malware has altered file association entries in your registry, and the solution to that is here: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm
Continuing with the Repair will blast your OS back to the stoneage, you lose all your settings, may need to reinstall software, you will need to dl and install ALL updates, Security and otherwise.
If indeed you do have malware then the problem will reoccur, a Repair will not interfere with it at all. Cancel out of the Repair and use the fixes in that link, then run MBAM:
==Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
from: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html
or: http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
=Dclick that file, mbam-setup.exe, to install the application,
-ensure that it is set to update and start, else start it via the icon, and UPDATE it.
Select "Perform QUICK Scan", then click Scan; the application will guide you through the remaining steps.
ENSURE that EVERYTHING found has a CHECKMARK against it, then click Remove Selected.
If malware has been found [and removed] MBAM will automatically produce a log for you when it completes... do not click the Save Logfile button.
Examine the log: if some files are listed as Delete on Reboot then restart your machine before continuing.
Copy and post that log [it is also saved under Logs tab in MBAM].

[Nickair]

I understand that i would need to run malware bytes but the thing is that no .exe file can run on this computer.

I had previously connected the hard drive to my working laptop and scanned it using malware bytes but i am still having this problem with file association. I keep searching google and people post solutions that require the computer to run a .exe file which cant happen for some reason. Is there a way to fix .exe file association without running an executable file?

thanks

[gerbil]

"I imagine malware has altered file association entries in your registry, and the solution to that is here: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm "
It is Explorer which is having trouble with file extensions. Explorer is a shell inside which you play. The cmd window is another shell, it has no such trouble with file extensions.
Ctrl-Shift-Esc opens a TM window.
In TM, going File, then Ctrl-lclick NewTask opens a cmd window.
Inside that window you can run .exes.. eg regedit.

[gerbil]

It is Explorer which is having trouble with file extensions. Explorer is a shell inside which you play. Task Manager is also a shell; like Explorer it uses the registry to find how to handle files, hence you cannot go File > NewTask, cmd.exe, but here the Ctrl key offers a special shortcut.
The cmd window is another shell, it has no such trouble with file extensions, it has no need to look up the key HKCR\.exe to find handlers. So...
Ctrl-Shift-Esc opens a TM window.
In TM, going File, then Ctrl-lclick NewTask opens a cmd window.
Inside that window you can run .exes.. eg regedit.

[Nickair]

I appreciate the responses i would have tried doing this but something happened and the computer started blue screening after i restarted it and i wasnt able to boot into the OS. I ended up just reformatting it and now everything is fresh and new. But i appreciate the CTL-click trick i didnt know that does that. If i run into this problem in the future ill give that a try.

Thanks.