.EXE's viewing as WordPad

[Kage]

Ah right, so theres a program to sort that out

Okay

Well hopefully this will work, but i'd still do a scan and delete what it finds. and then we'll give you links for antivirus programs, spyware, and firewall programs to protect the rest of your pc from intrusion. okay?

 

[Zorteck]

I just deleted the 2 viruses and i ran the .reg that I dowloaded and restarted my comp and it's still doing the same thing.

WHERES GATES WHEN YOU NEED HIM?!?!

 

[Kage]

.reg? Was that the file that BuzzStPoint asked you to download? Hmm...

In that case, I am really stuck, though have you tried the other online scanner?

After you do fix it though (i'm sure someone will be able to help) then here are links to proection programs :

Antivirus (AVG - free, excellent scanner)

http://free.grisoft.com/

Firewall (ZoneAlarm - Great free protection from hackers)

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

Spyware (Spybot, Search and Destroy - Free)

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

These are the ones I trust, and have used myself. I would have also said AdAware, though these are my choices which i've safetyfied as it were

So download these, keep them updated, and you'll have a safe PC to work with, well, when that little problem is fixed!

 

[Zorteck]

I can't run any of these, they all open in WordPad... this is so frustrating!

 

[setishock]

I'm just not sure...

If w2k will let you or it has that option you may want to think about doing a repair install or a sfc /scannow. Somehow instead of running the program it's thinking it has to "list" the program. That's a dos function.
The gibberish you see in notepad is due to the program being compiled.
Looks like the viruses you found have done their damage. Some functions have been altered. Only thing that comes to mind is to reinstall w2k or if it can do a repair install.
Get a antivirus program and a firewall. Going online with out either is just asking for it.

Good luck...

 

[Kage]

I know, but after you fix it, download them

I have no idea what could be doing it though. Are you sure you read the registry instructions and put it in the right place, etc?
(this computer has a blocking program so I couldn't access the webpage to check)

Anyone else know how to do something that might work? Very strange problem this.

Plus you can check for System Restore since I thought it did have it, though it might have been ME that started it :

Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Then restore to an earlier time before it started happening.

Try doing this though. Press F8 at bootup to bring up the special options menu (this might just be XP though ) and look for 'Last Configurations that worked' as it might choose settings that will take it back to working EXE programs again.

I hope this helps

 

[Zorteck]

k, ill try that. and no there is no system restore in the System Tools folder.

 

[Kage]

I hope its not just on XP (though not so sure now), and yea, it must have started on Windows ME

Do you know what I would try to do to stop it using Notepad if it doesn't have that, or doesn't work?

I'd delete it using the Add/Remove programs, under the Windows programs section and get rid of the Notepad program. The programs maybe then would be forced to work in there usual manner.

You could then try to intsall it again if you really needed it using the Windows disc, and from the same Add/Remove programs.

Worth a try! and it might work!!

If this doesn't work either (like the programs don't know what to open with), simply backup important files and do a re-install of windows It'd be the only way if what we've tried hasn't, and with that clean install, run those programs on the above links and get some much needed protection on your PC!

I hope this helps

 

[Zorteck]

I have no idea how to uninstall wordpad, its not listed on the add/remove programs list, and when I choose to add/remove windows components it opens in WordPad =/

 

[Kage]

Oh dear... another problem there then...I'm afraid it'd be listed in that, which you can't access

Okay, go to SafeMode (del at bootup) and try going to it from there. If this lets you open EXE's in the normal fashion then this should work.

So enter the Add/Remove programs and choose Windows Components and then delete it (EDIT: Oh...its not listed there )

Okay, hard delete the program (its stored in a different place on this machine, though should be in c:\Windows i'd think.

If not, run Windows Search, and search for files and folders from safe mode, and search for 'wordpad.exe' and then delete the program which is a complex way of doing it, but seems the only way, and if it fixes your problem, you might as well.

Its weird though its choosing programs to work with and others not too... that makes me think its a bug, though the online scanners didn't find anything.

I hope this suggestion helps, and it's my last straw apart from a full re-install i'm afriad, so I hope it fixes it