How to fix Windows not being able to open .exe files

This post will go over how to fix Windows not being able to open .exe files on your PC. This issue typically is seen after you installed a virus on your computer. It is the virus’s way of trying to prevent you from installing software that might be able to remove the virus.

Open up notepad from the start menu. In Windows Vista/Windows 7 you can easily find it by typing notepad in the search box.
Paste the info in the box into notepad and save it as “EXE-Fix.reg” on your desktop.
Double-Click the EXE-Fix.reg file. Your machine will ask if you want to import the registry info. Say yes.
It should say It was imported successfully and click “OK”.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe]

@="exefile"

"Content Type"="application/x-msdownload"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.exe\PersistentHandler]

@="{098f2470-bae0-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile]

@="Application"

"EditFlags"=hex:38,07,00,00

"TileInfo"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion"

"InfoTip"="prop:FileDescription;Company;FileVersion;Create;Size"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\DefaultIcon]

@="%1"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open]

"EditFlags"=hex:00,00,00,00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]

@="\"%1\" %*"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\runas\command]

@="\"%1\" %*"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\DropHandler]

@="{86C86720-42A0-1069-A2E8-08002B30309D}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\PEAnalyser]

@="{09A63660-16F9-11d0-B1DF-004F56001CA7}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\PifProps]

@="{86F19A00-42A0-1069-A2E9-08002B30309D}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]

@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile]

@="Registration Entries"

"EditFlags"=dword:00100000

"BrowserFlags"=dword:00000008


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\DefaultIcon]

@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

00,5c,00,72,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\

2c,00,31,00,00,00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]

@="open"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\edit\command]

@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,4e,00,4f,00,\

54,00,45,00,50,00,41,00,44,00,2e,00,45,00,58,00,45,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,00,\

00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open]

@="Mer&ge"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\open\command]

@="regedit.exe \"%1\""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell\print\command]

@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\

00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,4e,00,4f,00,\

54,00,45,00,50,00,41,00,44,00,2e,00,45,00,58,00,45,00,20,00,2f,00,70,00,20,\

00,25,00,31,00,00,00


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk]

@="lnkfile"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214EE-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{00021500-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.lnk\ShellNew]

"Command"="rundll32.exe appwiz.cpl,NewLinkHere %1"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]

@="Shortcut"

"EditFlags"=dword:00000001

"IsShortcut"=""

"NeverShowExt"=""


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\CLSID]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Offline Files]

@="{750fdf0e-2a26-11d1-a3ea-080036587f03}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\DropHandler]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\IconHandler]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\ShimLayer Property Page]

@="{513D916F-2A8E-4F51-AEAB-0CBC76FB1AF8}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}]

@="Shortcut"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\InProcServer32]

@="shell32.dll"

"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\PersistentAddinsRegistered]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\PersistentAddinsRegistered\{89BCB740-6119-101A-BCB7-00DD010655AF}]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\PersistentHandler]

@="{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\ProgID]

@="lnkfile"


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\shellex]


[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\shellex\MayChangeDefaultMenu] 
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Comments

Bob S. says

Mar 11, 2010 at 12:49 pm

This came in handy. Thanks for the info!
Steve says

Apr 29, 2010 at 12:01 am

Wow!! This totally worked!!

Can’t thank you enough. 🙂 🙂 🙂
daniel says

Apr 30, 2010 at 12:13 pm

I cannot even get my notepad open. help?
Tom B. says

Aug 23, 2010 at 10:25 pm

This fix is simply incredible. I’m an IT guy and I was dumbfounded as to why this system I was using always created an “open with” dialog box whenever I attempted to open any software. This worked brilliantly. I’m impressed. THANK YOU!!
Jared Heinrichs says

Aug 24, 2010 at 5:52 am

Glad I could help. Bookmark the site and tell your friends about the site. I’m sure there are other articles you’d love to read.
Andrew says

Feb 22, 2011 at 5:59 am

You sir are my hero! All of a sudden none of my shortcuts stopped working…i was totally at a loss as to why…i search high and low for a fix..most being dead ends!…then i entered here and now im back in business. Thank you VERY much for this fix!!!!!
Deb says

Mar 30, 2011 at 4:38 pm

I have been dealing with this monster malware for months. I’ve gotten rid of it several times and then it resurfaces. I finally figured out it was because of the registry. I could not find a good registry fix until I found yours. So far, so good. Time will tell but I believe I will be OK because your registry fix is the most comprehensive one I’ve found.

Thanks!
Jared Heinrichs says

Mar 30, 2011 at 5:48 pm

Glad I was able to help.
Anonymous says

Apr 26, 2011 at 1:22 pm

Thank you it worked perfectly.
luke says

May 4, 2011 at 7:58 am

not worked for me unfortunately get an error message up saying, “not all data was successfully written to the registry, some keys are open by the system or other processes”
Faith says

May 4, 2011 at 10:56 pm

When I double click the exe-fix file I get a pop up that says “Cannot import…Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes.”
George says

May 14, 2011 at 12:45 am

Jared, I have this precise issue as a result of a virus / malware. Will this registry fix work on Win XP? Thanks
CJ says

May 16, 2011 at 7:33 am

I love you for putting this up, worked perfectly. thank you soooooooooo much.
Juan Perez says

May 18, 2011 at 10:18 am

Thank you very much!!! you saved my day!!!
Fred.M says

Jun 2, 2011 at 7:46 am

When I double click the exe-fix file I get a pop up that says “Cannot import…Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes.” Please help!!!
Syrus says

Jun 11, 2011 at 6:52 am

Same problem here, i cannot import : ” cannot import…not all data…”

Any suggestion on what to do?
Ink says

Dec 19, 2011 at 7:40 am

Thank you SO much. I’ve been wracking my brain over the stupid broken exe file associations for probably about a week. You, sir, are a godsend. <3
Vince says

Dec 22, 2011 at 6:55 pm

It did not work on Windows 7
I copied it ot notepad on an uninfected computer, transferred it to a flashdisk opend and saved it on the desktop of the infected cleaned (PC Tools)computer and got the same error message
patrick says

Dec 31, 2011 at 4:02 am

Just had this problem myself, thanks for the fix. I am dumbfounded as to why there are registry options detailing how executables are to be run, and why they are so easy for a virus to modify, especially when running as a non-administrator.
Larry says

Jan 5, 2012 at 7:28 pm

I got the same cannot import error.
Cedric says

Feb 13, 2012 at 1:16 pm

i got in error message saying: “Cannot import C:\Users\****\Desktop\EXE-Fix.reg: The specified file is not a registry script. You can only import binary registry files from within the registry editor.”
TomR says

Mar 11, 2012 at 12:56 pm

I have the same problem a number of people have mentioned. I get an error stating, “Cannot import…Not all data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes.” I don’t see where you told those people how to solve this problem. Is there a solution?
Tria says

Sep 21, 2012 at 11:56 am

Perfect:) thank you so much!!!
Rafael says

Mar 22, 2013 at 2:52 pm

Gracias, saludos
Vicki says

Jul 17, 2013 at 9:10 am

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Victor says

Jul 25, 2015 at 3:35 am

works perfect…….!
thanks a lot.

How to fix Windows not being able to open .exe files

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