windows - this file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action

05
2014-04
  • kristen72888

    I start up my mother in laws computer and she has not start menu no icons nothing. I can acess task manager and commpand prompt. She thinks she has gotten a virus where it has hidden everything as when you click create a new task under file you can see the file names. However if you click any of them it says "This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Folder Options control panel." However I do not know how to access the control panel. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix it please let me know as I am at lost for words. She also has Windows XP do not know if that matters or not.

    • Answers
  • tumchaaditya

    Microsoft KB article(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505)

    1. Click Start, then click Run.
    2. In the Open box, type explorer and then click OK.
    3. Navigate to the Windows directory (e.g. a typical path may be C:\Windows) and locate regedit.exe.
    4. Right-click on regedit.exe and select Run as. Uncheck "Protect my computer and data from unauthorized program activity" and click OK.
    5. Using Regedit, locate and then click on the following registry key: HKEYCurrentUser\Software\Classes
    6. On the left panel, right-click on the following registry subkey: '.exe'
    7. Select Delete and then click OK.
    8. On the left panel, right-click on the following registry subkey: 'secfile'
    9. Select Delete and then click OK.
    10. Close Registry Editor.

    Also get an antivirus and scan and clean the PC.
    MalwareBytes and ComboFix are good and free ones.


    • Related Question

    64 bit - "C:\Program Files" on Windows Vista+ (x64)
  • Neil Barnwell

    Exactly what is the difference between:

    C:\Program Files
    C:\Program Files (x86)
    C:\ProgramData

    I have two questions:

    1. Why are they different?
    2. How do I decide which one to look in for any given resource, to avoid having to look in them all and merge the information in my head?

    • Related Answers
  • DMA57361

    Briefly

    Program Files is where 64bit software is installed.

    Program Files (x86) is where 32bit software is installed.

    Program Data is where both sets of programs should write data (such as configuration data, for example) that they want to store for all users (so can't go in a single users AppData or MyDocs) and that does not belong in registry.

    The difference between the two ProgFiles folders allows you to have two different versions of software installed (for example Internet Explorer comes in both 32 and 64 bit flavors installed together) because Windows silently redirects requests from software in the (x86) folders.

    As for question 2, you can probably ignore Program Data most of the time (nothing should be installed in there), but I often find myself jumping between the two ProgFiles folders so I'll be looking for other answers here to help with that.

  • Mario

    Like @DMA57361 said, on Windows Vista x64, Program Files is where x64 software is installed, and Program Files (x86) is where x86 software is installed.

    Windows (x64 versions) categorizes software this way due to a feature (for the Windows Installer Installation Cotext) called “Folder redirection”. Windows (x64 versions) have this feature probably beacause that's the way they can still support and categorize x86 applications.

    About the second question, the "C:\ProgramData" is a folder that stores user related information that is shared by all accounts.