Spyware, viruses, & security forum: MY PC says to Choose a program to open the file you want

Hey Tufenuf

I amusing windows XP but have the desktop theme for Windows Vista!!

It says Windows can't find regedit!!

My command prompt doesn't work at all.

I am not sure what's causing for it to not work. But I am trying to do this one final thing which you mentioned above. If it works its great.

Also I am thinking of restarting the Windows in Safe Mode by hitting F8 when the PC starts. If it still doesn't work, I am going to reboot my PC or have PC Clinic (Wayne State University) Fix it for $20 bucks!

thank you very much for the vista instructions

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Thanks people for all your help and inputs

The problem has been solved.

How?

According to what Tufenuf told me, I went into the Safe Mode and did a System Reboot with Safe Mode.

Once the computer Rebooted in Safe Mode, the Command Prompt opened:

When it did, I used the following command to restore the system.

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The PC asked me to select a previous restoration point. I selected a date. It restored and the computer rebooted again.

The problem has been solved.

Now I can open the applications in control program.

The computer no more asks me to choose a program to open the file.

I can scroll my mouse now (again.. phew!!!)

and also I can open properties on the desktop by right clicking on the desktop and opening properties

I would like to THANK EACH AND EVERY PEOPLE FOR THEIR INPUTS and SUGGESTIONS specially Grif Thomas and Tufenuf who helped me right from the beginning!

Please note that Spybot Search and Destroy is an anti-spyware program not an anti-virus program.
It most likely did clear the spyware as you mentioned but what about the virus?
It is possible it recognized the virus but it doesnt mean it was able to quarantine or remove it.
What are you using for an anti-virus program?

It sounds like you can open your file by associating with the program through your Control Panel; is this true? Can you give us the program you are most likely to use?

Can you copy the files you do not wish to lose onto a CD-R, CD-RW or flash drive? Even though they would still need to be scanned later on you might be able to clean them up once you can clean out your computer. Note do not remove them from your computer at this time just copy them for the time being.

On your screen shots, those are great; I dont know how to do that myself but I really like them.

In post #8 you have:
[EnableRegTools]
HKCU, "software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\policies\system","DisableRegistryTools"
Is it possible that this means your Registry Tools are Disabled?
Maybe thats the reason the regedit.exe isnt recognized
Maybe a more knowledgeable person can answer that question.

It appears to me also that you might be using Firefox according to your 2nd link in post #12.
Note that Always use the selected program to open this kind of file isnt checked at the bottom.
So maybe IE is trying to do the job but you might be using Firefox!
Do you have Firefox set up as your default browser?
BTW, please note that you still need to use IE to keep your computer up date on critical security updates unless of course Firefox can do it. I use IE so I dont know what Firefox offers.

I noticed in another post just before I was ready to send this that now you have blacklist problems with Spybot Search and Destroy. Well do a search for Spybot and eliminate all references to it.

Please let us know what your security measures are:
Anti-virus program, anti-spyware program(s) and anything else.
In case it helps, in addition to my anti-virus program, anti-spyware program(s), I also use SpywareBlaster & CCleaner.
Additionally I use Belarc. It doesnt eliminate anything but it lets you know whats on your computer including whether or not your critical updates are in order.

I understand your concern about not wanting to shut down your computer so dont do that yet; however just keep in mind that it will become necessary to do so in the process of troubleshooting your issue.

So go through this list and see if it helps you. Check off what works and what doesnt and post back.
I believe I would try the following order:
1. Check your startup programs and unclick anything that doesnt need to start up when you turn on your computer.
2. Update your antivirus program & run a full system scan. I would recommend using IE since its possible an Active X is involved.
3. Download and run SpywareBlaster from Download.com. Make sure its SpywareBlaster. It doesnt scan and eliminate spyware but will prevent most spyware from entering your computer in the 1st place.
4. Download and run CCleaner. I believe you can get this from Download.com also
5. Download and run Belarc from www.belarc.com and investigate the information it provides for your computer.
6. Run Windows Update. Note that this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month in which this is normal practice anyway.
7. After all this is done if you get this far then its time to Download and use at least 2 antispyware programs but you need to make sure thay dont conflict with each other. Post back when its time to make this decision if you wish

Good luck

Thanks people for all your help and inputs
.......................................
The problem has been solved.

How?

According to what Tufenuf told me, I went into the Safe Mode and did a System Reboot with Safe Mode.

Once the computer Rebooted in Safe Mode, the Command Prompt opened:

When it did, I used the following command to restore the system.

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

The PC asked me to select a previous restoration point. I selected a date. It restored and the computer rebooted again.

The problem has been solved.

Now I can open the applications in control program.

The computer no more asks me to choose a program to open the file.

I can scroll my mouse now (again.. phew!!!)

and also I can open properties on the desktop by right clicking on the desktop and opening properties

I would like to THANK EACH AND EVERY PEOPLE FOR THEIR INPUTS and SUGGESTIONS specially Grif Thomas and Tufenuf who helped me right from the beginning!!!!!!

Thanks for letting us know that you have solved your problem. You certainly followed that good advice and put it to good use.

Hi,
I have the same problem. I can not open any program on my acer laptop with vista. Actually from nothing is opening from Run, a dialog opens saying windows cannot open this file and asks for web help which it does not take or to choose program from a list for every program I try to run.
I tried vista system restore but it gives me on 3 restore points, and all these 3 points are after the date I had this issue. how can I get ealier restore point [5 days back] before this issue happens.
Please Please help. Any help will be highly appreciated.

Thanks Donna,
Yes I tried that also, it completes with message saying
"Scan complete, some of the file couldn't be corrected. Please see logs at C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log".
When I try to open this file even using admin account, it says access denied.
This file has special permission set and I am not able to view it.
My system is not allowing me to open any exe file and says..
"This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set Associations control panel." OR
"Choose the program you want to use to open this file."
It does this for all programs including notepad,word,excel,pp,IE,mozilla ..

Yes I did AVG Full scan and it found following virus vault infections whch it has removed.
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CJXU";"\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\VG3YLZYM\hyxrmxs[1].htm";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Virus identified Win32/Cryptor";"\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\VG3YLZYM\mdyfelge[1].htm";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CJXU";"\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\WP5V9FIZ\hyxrmxs[1].htm";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Virus identified Win32/Cryptor";"\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\WP5V9FIZ\mdyfelge[1].htm";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Virus identified Win32/Cryptor";"\Local\Temp\aprl.exe";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CJXU";"\Local\Temp\qikaoi.exe";"";"12/02/2010, 22:50:44"
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CLKA";"\Local\av.exe";"";"13/02/2010, 11:30:05"
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CLHA";"\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\VG3YLZYM\mqlselg[1].htm";"";"13/02/2010, 12:05:46"
"Infection";"Trojan horse SHeur2.CLHA";"\Local\Temp\oxhyanxq.exe";"";"13/02/2010, 12:07:06"

Thank god, my problem is solved now because of this website by RAMESH.
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/105/1/File-association-fixes-for-Windows-Vista.html
I download exe file association and it worked for me.
I am able to open all my programs now.
It saved my life.

This worked for me too. I just downloaded the fix for exe files and I can now open all my files w/o a problem.

jon_davies96, If you can't open exe files go to the link below and download the exe file association fix. Usage Instructions are on the page.

File association fixes for Windows Vista

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


Note: If you can't access the Internet with the problem computer use another computer to download the reg file fix onto a CD, thumb drive, or floppy and transfer the file to the problem computer then run it.

After that .reg file is merged into the registry successfully restart your computer.

Tufenuf