EXE messup (was need help from everybody)

[Bob Rasmussen]

On Fri, 4 Sep 1998, Pingsheng Chen wrote:

> Hi Everybody,
> 
> I tried to set up telnet applicaiton in the Preference of Netscape 
> 4.5. Next day I turned on the pc, when you clicked each application 
> on my machine, one telnet application is open. It looks like telnet 
> replace all the files with .exe as extension. Any file with different 
> extension look ok. What should I do to bring back all my 
> applicaitons? Any suggestions will be greatly helpful. Thank you.

This is a NASTY one, which I just encountered this morning.

THE PROBLEM
The system ends up with a "file association", associating the "EXE" file
extension with the telnet program (or whatever you've tried to install).
Consequently, whenever you try to run ANY application, Windows runs the
telnet!

HOW IT HAPPENS In newer Netscape (at least 4.04 and 4.06), under
Edit:Preferences:Applications, you can add file handler applications. You
would normally do this to add a graphics viewer, for instance. This has the
same effect as manipulating file types in Windows Explorer. HOWEVER, Netscape
left out an important safegaurd. If you put "EXE" in as the extension, it pops
up the current value, and then lets you enter (or browse) another application
there. This creates the problem.

THE NITTY GRITTY
The registry entry 
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command
now contains the program name. It should contain
   "%1" %*
exactly, with the quotes.

HOW TO FIX IT
You can't run regedit.exe, because Windows will bring up the telnet instead. I
initially solved this by copying regedit.exe over the top of the program that
was named (once I figured out what it was). Then I ran regedit and fixed the
offending entry.

Another way to fix it is to create a registry patch file. This is possible
using DOS commands, which fortunately still work. Go to Start:Programs:MS-DOS
prompt to open a DOS window. Then:

1. Type
      edit fix-exe.reg

2. Make the contents of the file read EXACTLY:
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

3. Exit, saving the file.

4. Enter:
      start fix-exe.reg

5. Regedit should ask you if you want to change the indicated value. Answer
"Yes".

This should fix the problem.

DISCLAIMER
I take no responsibility for the success of this, I'm just trying to help out.
Your registry was messed up to start with, you have little if anything to
lose.

Regards,
....Bob Rasmussen,   President,   Rasmussen Software, Inc.

personal e-mail: ras at anzio.com
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