every program i try to open, windows asks open with?

[Drewski]

I have a HP laptop with Windows XP Professional and every time if I double click .exe file types, windows gives me the option to choose which program I want to open it with. So I am stumped if I want to install any programs or applications on my laptop. It is getting really frustrating over here, so can anyone tell me how to restore .exe file associations back to normal. Thank you

[Zachary]

It could be a virus/worm to blame for that, and there is more than one capable of doing it.

It could be SWEN. Try the following fix.

http://vil.nai.com/vil/averttools.asp

Scroll down and select the Fixswen.inf download
Save the fixswen.inf file to your local hard disk, right-click on the file and choose install. This is supposed to undo registry changes made by SWEN

It could be Sircam
http://securityresponse.symantec.com...oval.tool.html

Run these online scans too

Panda http://www.pandasoftware.com/actives..._principal.htm

Trend Micro Housecall http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

After cleaning with the scans, if “exes” still won`t work use the “exe file association” fix here

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

[Viceman]

This site might also help you solve your file association problem http://filext.com/faq/broken_exe_association.php.

[AlexNet0]

solve this by the following.

start in safe mode.

go to start, run, and type command.com

type copy "regedit.exe regedit.com" (with quotes) into the command prompt

it may or may not give you an error.

now (in the command prompt) type regedit.exe

navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
\exefile
\shell
\open
\command

In the right pane, double-click the (Default) value.

"%1" %*

Type the above like the following characters:
quote-percent-one-quote-space-percent-asterisk.

restart.

[GonzoBros]

This one worked for me on multiple computers

[joeship]

Thanks to AlexNet0 for a solution that worked for me! Much appreciated.