Seems I mentioned registry before, but can't find it ...

[Gina Stevenson]

So, anyway, since .exe files got messed up somehow, I was reading re all these registry fixes. Some Nerdy guy (Ask the Nerd, think it was?) suggested "the best fix." Well, problem is, since it's an .exe file, can't get it to work to try to use it.

Also found something that is suggested as an ".exe fix" to paste in a registry file. It's at this URL:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100118183815AAjO1wY

Trouble is, I don't want to mess things up anymore than they already are (someone suggested buying one of the fixes that require $$, but if they're .exe files, how would they open, if this other .exe won't, either? actually, hard to get any .exe to open now).

If nothing else -- if not able to tell me if this looks like it's something correct to paste into a registry file to "fix" it, or not -- could someone remind me how to find those "starting points" to go back to, if this should mess things up; can't seem to find them, been so rarely used ... and then not always successfully.

Oh, yeah ... could you please look at this, too (it says, before telling what to copy/paste):

In XP open any folder (My Documents works well), tools, folder options, file types, again delete the exe entry.

If both those fail, try this registry file, copy and paste everything between the lines into fix_exe.reg:
Well, checking out "folder options/file types," .exe was already gone w/o my "deleting" it. AND, that copy/paste that's supposed to be pasted into "fix_exe.reg" file? Search yields no such file name on here! :(

Thank you.

[Gina Stevenson]

As it's been a couple of days, when trying again to do something with an .exe, and a note said, "Unknown file type," tho' it said .exe on the extension, we tho't, "Oh, yeah ... we still need to have it 'know' what type of file an '.exe' is!"

Thank you.

[Gina Stevenson]

Just realized, looking at a program (.exe suffix) on my desktop, that it's the same icon that is used for the Word Pad files. Now I recall that it was something like that that accidentally got clicked on ... think it was one of those "open with" things popped up, and the box that's checked [that you want to quickly UNcheck!] that says to always treat these kinds of files (.exe) like this was still checked when accidentally -- probably because of one of those "jumps" that this thing is always doing, hence leaving me clicking on an unintended line -- clicking on something that was a program (not sure how it would've been not just opening, anyway, as an .exe).

Whatever ... it's got .exe files identified as Word Pad files.

Sooo, that is what I need to be able to change back. Is there a batch-type way to do it, too, so that files that are .exe only will be changed back to being handled like .exe's, and not all the Word Pad ones that they're accidentally identified as now???

Thanks!

[Gina Stevenson]

OK, so now I cannot even open some programs that I could open before this latest computer restart. Had to do it in an unconventional manner, such as doing a search and clicking on the file in the results list that said "Application." Now a file with that name does not even appear ... so I cannot do the screen shot that shows Folders Options/Edit File Type:

You type in a "NEW" file application which does not show in the current list (.EXE), and then it gives you:

(1) place to "change Icon (looks like WordPad;
inconsequential & will change later),
(2) blank box entitled "Actions" (to describe what .EXE does)
(3) you click on "NEW" to fill in this blank "Actions" box, and up pops a box into which you are to fill in both:
(a) "Action" and then
(b) "Application used to perform action"
** What to write in box (a) ... do you write "Open program" or ...?
(checked Microsoft, & didn't find this)
** What 'application' to pick ... look in programs, & find
Windows NT, but it won't let you pick it; what else
(click on "system32" file when browsing to pick?
or maybe, seeing a "repair" folder, click on that,
since it definitely needs repairing?? ##

## (it suggests using FreeCell something-or-other; that's only an .exe that's been open recently ... while waiting for pages to pop up ... seems DSL is getting slower)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Besides all this, the MSSecEss'ls shows there's something called: Tool/Win32/PassFox again, just as it did the other day. You tell it to remove it, and yet here it shows up yet again!

Somewhere [not this thread] I copied/pasted here what I saw suggested to paste into a registry file I don't even find [I]say[/B] so!]. But don't want to really mess up registry so asked here.

Thanks so much. KNOW I've had many questions lately, but seems I have rather a mess here to try to fix ... and I do tend to be a DIY sort of person (interesting, tho' frustrating process). ;)