XP – Unable to open any programs???

I’m unable to run almost all of the programs on my laptop. I get the following error message:

“This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel”

I can open some programs, such as WORD or Publisher if I click on a saved document. But these programs do not open if I click on the taskbar, desktop icon, or program startup icon.

I cannot open or run System Restore, even in safe mode. It will start in safe mode, but once it gets to the point in the process where it reboots the computer I get a message that the computer is unable to open rstu.exe (or whatever the system restore file is called).

I’m running XP. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

· Virus scan: clean
· Ad-Aware Pro SE scan: clean
· Re-set folder associations to default in Control Panel Folder Options
· Reinstall MS Office
· MS Knowledge base

I’m out of ideas. Any suggestions on what to do besides wipe out the hard drive and do a clean reinstall of Windows XP and start from scratch?

 

Sounds like your registry somehow was corrupted. You might have to do a repair install of XP and re-install of the programs that won't run.

 

OK, just did a repair install of XP. Problem persists and I'm worried I may have made things worse. During the repair there were repeated error messages every time it needed to run a *.exe file. E.g. "Windows cannot open rundll32.exe," etc.

Any other ideas?

 

Have you tried copying rundll32.exe back in to C:\Windows\system32 from the install cd?
If you didn't look in 1386 foler on the cd and copy it over. Do this while in safe mode. Best to rename the file and then copy the new. Sounds like you have a missing or corrupt file.