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Possible Duplicate:
Window7 troubleshooting .exe is not opening

This question has been asked, but the solutions given were worthless to me because ALL files are trying to open in Notepad. I mistakenly associated all exe files with Notepad and everything is trying to open within Notepad now. That includes regedit, so suggesting I use regedit to doctor files does not work (cmd window will not open from Winkey + R - Run).

It also includes any program I download to fix the issue. I also can not right click and choose Open With because that is not a given option when right clicking on a majority of files, at least none of the exe files I want to start. Yes, I tried it on the program files, not the shortcut. I also can not use System Restore because it, too, tries to open in Notepad. I've been banging my head uselessly on this for hours. Could someone help me out?

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Jormal
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  • As a side note: If you can't open CMD normally, press Ctrl+Shift+Escape, then select File, press and hold the Ctrl key, and click New Task. It will bring up a CMD window, run as Admin – Canadian Luke Dec 14 '12 at 04:57
  • Can you rename an .exe file as a .com? It should still execute but it won't have the same association. – Nicole Hamilton Dec 14 '12 at 06:39

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One thing encourages us. Only the executables are associated with notepad. But, the extensions that are opened by those exe's are still associated with the same exe's (like .doc --> still opens with Word). So, our keen weapon is ".reg file" which is still opened and merged by regedit.

Note: I have no experience with Windows-7 because I'm still digging with XP. But, this method maybe of help. Now, Let the siege begin..!

This question (already asked here) could be of help: How do you associate the .exe file extension with a program in Windows?

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Waffle's Crazy Peanut
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Use this FixIt to restore the ability to run Exe files:

Can't open .EXE files in Windows 7 or Windows Vista

magicandre1981
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    and changed assignations and that cause exe no longer work. He also posted this.The FixIt comes as MSI so that it can run and restore the broken association. – magicandre1981 Dec 14 '12 at 05:17