Need Some Comp Assistance: Possible to do a System Restore Without CD + other ?s

Good afternoon, gentlemen,

Let me first start with some stats:

Manufacturer: eMachines
Model: T6212 (yup...I never replace comps unless they go completely kaput)
OS: Windows XP Home Edition

This comp has run absolutely flawlessly until I contracted the "Antivirus 2010 XP" virus just a couple days ago. Just in case you aren't familiar, it's malware that pretends it's a legit antivirus and shows exaggerated results to con someone into buying the product. When you have it, you can hardly open any program without the "antivirus" starting up. Hugely annoying, but finally got rid of it via Malwarebytes in Safe Mode.

Now, it seems, I have another problem after getting rid of the malware. Any time I try to open an application, I'm prompted with a window asking what program I'd like to open it with. Something has evidently screwed around with my executable file association. I can open most things just fine by choosing the program from a list, but that gets annoying and it even happens when I try to run anything from "Run" in the Start Up menu. I can't even get the command prompt to come up without it asking this.

Also, rundll32.exe is absent upon start-up. It doesn't even show up in the Task Manager and it won't let me start it as a new task. When I try to open certain things (i.e. Add and Remove Programs in the Control Panel), I get the error message "C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe -- Application Not Found".

After doing some research on the internet, I'm even more confused than before. Some people will tell you that you can fix the rundll32.exe and file association errors, but they don't tell you how :( Others will tell you that you need to do a system restore. Therein lies a problem: My license is perfectly legitimate for my operating system and software, but I have NO IDEA where my System Restore CD is.

I'd greatly appreciate if someone can tell me how I can go about fixing any of this. Being broke sucks, so I'd prefer to do it for free, if possible. If I can simply fix the file execution stuff first, I think I'd be home free and back to normal. But, if I can't, is there any way to do a system restore without the CD?

Thanks all, and thanks for taking the time to read.

It's been a while since I've worked with a PC, but if I remember correctly, you can restore the computer back to an earlier date without needing any discs. The function should be within the control panel, or system tools. You select a restore date from the list (a date prior to having this problem) and the computer restores itself automatically.

If you have to reinstall windows xp, you will have a problem. I had a similar problem with final cut studio. I needed to an uninstall/reinstall, but no longer had the orginal discs, so I had to pony up and buy the new version.

if the system restore doesn't work, I would start looking for those discs.

oh and the other thing you could do, is check youtube. I can't tell you how many computer problems I have fixed by typing the issue into the youtube search window and watching a few videos.

Can you open notepad? If you can't open it through shortcuts then try going to START >> RUN, type command to bring up a command line and then type notepad at the cursor. Hopefully that will bring it up.

If it works then copy this into notepad:

Code:

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

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Save it is "fix.reg" on your desktop, then double-click the new file, say YES to confirm, then reboot and see if that fixes it.

I've seen that virus here at work and it's a nasty bugger.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by commiecat

Can you open notepad? If you can't open it through shortcuts then try going to START >> RUN, type command to bring up a command line and then type notepad at the cursor. Hopefully that will bring it up.

If it works then copy this into notepad:

Code:

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

---

Save it is "fix.reg" on your desktop, then double-click the new file, say YES to confirm, then reboot and see if that fixes it.

I've seen that virus here at work and it's a nasty bugger.

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Thanks! I was able to do it, but it didn't seem to do any good :(

Thanks for your suggestion, though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Allen

Thanks! I was able to do it, but it didn't seem to do any good :(

Thanks for your suggestion, though.

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Hmm, well that's the one solution that worked for me previously. I did find a registry edit also geared at fixing EXE associations but I've never used it. Kelly's Korner is a reputable Windows site, though.

Troubleshooting Windows XP, Tweaks and Fixes for Windows XP

#12 in that list is a link to a .reg file designed to fix EXE associations. I always suggest backing up your registry first before modifying it, but I guess you probably can't harm it anymore at this point.

Remember to reboot after making these changes to the registry. If that doesn't do anything then I could only suggest to rebuild, unless someone else can find the solution. Does your computer have a separate partition with the XP install? Some manufacturers would put OS installations on the hard drive rather than give a CD. Otherwise you might want to try and find a copy of XP Home and see if your license works with it.

I hate to be "that guy"... But may I suggest the following?

Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Allen

This comp has run absolutely flawlessly until I contracted the "Antivirus 2010 XP" virus just a couple days ago. Just in case you aren't familiar, it's malware that pretends it's a legit antivirus and shows exaggerated results to con someone into buying the product. When you have it, you can hardly open any program without the "antivirus" starting up. Hugely annoying, but finally got rid of it via Malwarebytes in Safe Mode.

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And you installed that software... why?
:)

If restore points were enabled, you could use them to go back to an earlier restore point, depending on how hosed your system is. It's too late to write out in full, but google XP restore point.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bruno

And you installed that software... why?
:)

If restore points were enabled, you could use them to go back to an earlier restore point, depending on how hosed your system is. It's too late to write out in full, but google XP restore point.

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Firstly, thanks, Bruno.

Secondly, are you referring to Malwarebytes? If so, what's wrong with it? I've never had any trouble with it in the past and it seems to get glowing reviews from pretty much everyone, atleast from what I've read.

Unfortunately, I came to a roadblock following your advice, as well :( I try to pull it (System Restore) up from the Start Up menu and get the same "Choose the program you want to use to open this file". So, I browse and try to open System Restore via...System Restore :rant: Tells me, "C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe is not a valid Win32 application".

any copy of windows home will work with your licence number (providing you have the number stuck to the side of your case still) personally this is a case where I would find someone who can get you a copy of the disk (must be XP Home) and go ahead and use that. you paid for it already so you're not really breaking any laws (at least less than microsoft is).
wish I was more help, but I havn't gotten that far into my text book yet.

Been a while since I used Windows myself, but I had two thoughts while reading this:

1) isn't there an option to access a system restore point through the same boot-time menu that offers Safe Mode? I mean the one that appears when you press F8 at start-up.

2) if you can't find your product key to use with a borrowed/burned XP install disk, you may be able to retrieve it with software like Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder or CD Key Reader. If that works, you should be able to borrow/burn the disc itself pretty easily.

No I meant the Antivirus 2010 XP thing you mentioned. I thought you manually installed it, hence my question. Do you know how you got it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Allen

Firstly, thanks, Bruno.

Secondly, are you referring to Malwarebytes? If so, what's wrong with it? I've never had any trouble with it in the past and it seems to get glowing reviews from pretty much everyone, atleast from what I've read.

Unfortunately, I came to a roadblock following your advice, as well :( I try to pull it (System Restore) up from the Start Up menu and get the same "Choose the program you want to use to open this file". So, I browse and try to open System Restore via...System Restore :rant: Tells me, "C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe is not a valid Win32 application".

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You'll probably having problems running any executable and I'd suspect that if you cannot repair that association through the registry then your best bet is to rebuild.

I think the option you get with safe mode is "last known good configuration", which will only revert back to the last time the computer successfully booted. Your computer seems to be booting fine so that will not change anything.

Did the second registry fix I posted do anything or was there still no change?

I went through something similar ...

Here's how I fixed it :

Download Ubuntu | Ubuntu


Piece of cake, really.

Thanks again, guys.

Bruno: Nope, I didn't download that software. I have no idea where it came from and can't think of anything "questionable" I've done in the past few days that would have put it on my comp.

Commiecat: I'm going to give your other suggestion a go a little later. Thanks again for the help.

If that doesn't go well, I'll just try to find another XP disk. Or, hell, I might even decide to give Ubuntu a try as a couple others suggested.

If you are not up to date on patches. There are browser vulnerabilities that could be used to load it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Allen

Thanks again, guys.

Bruno: Nope, I didn't download that software. I have no idea where it came from and can't think of anything "questionable" I've done in the past few days that would have put it on my comp.

Commiecat: I'm going to give your other suggestion a go a little later. Thanks again for the help.

If that doesn't go well, I'll just try to find another XP disk. Or, hell, I might even decide to give Ubuntu a try as a couple others suggested.

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HA! I did it!

This little tool here solved all my file association problems in an instant.

Unable to Start a Program with an .exe File Extension

I was a little apprehensive considering it's from 2004, but it worked a charm.

If any others out there are having the same problem I had, download that file, save it to your Desktop, double-click and you should be good to go.